Child of the Gods
by Hyper Mushrambo
Summary: The story from the first game, with Sheba's point of view. Mild violence, nothing serious.
1. Chapter 1

The moon shone brightly upon the roof of the small Laliviero house. It seemed just as any normal night. The whole town was silent, everyone asleep and in bed. The wall and village gates were, as usual, unmanned. Monsters had long ago excluded Laliviero from their territories, and no longer came near it. The breeze caressed the trees and swam between the houses. All were asleep, except for one.

The young girl lay on the roof of her home staring at the sky, as she did whenever she couldn't sleep. Something was clearly troubling her, though she couldn't say what it was any more than someone watching her. She closed her eyes for a moment, her purple eyebrows stood in sharp contrast to her dark blond hair, for her hair wasn't really blond, but was dyed every other week.

The young girl was Sheba. She was a Jupiter Adept, though she knew it not. That was why her hair was purple, and why she could do strange things, things that other humans could not. She could see into the future, though she only caught glimpses, and flashes of what MIGHT be, not necessarily what WOULD be. She was also able to read people's minds, or at least what people were currently thinking, and she could communicate with animals, a skill that had gotten her shunned by other children when she was little. She could feel and manipulate the winds and had some sort of hazy sense from it. She could sense where people stood, or where people had been, by the way the wind moved, by the way the air stirred.

Sheba had come to Laliviero at a young age, she was called the daughter of Faren by most, but truly held no relation to the man. His blond hair and rather clueless manner did not show in the girl, nor did her mother's brown hair.

Sheba closed her eyes again, and this time sleep took her.

The weather had been stormy for weeks, the sea tossed and roiled. Lightning struck everywhere and most everyone in Laliviero was afraid of being struck themselves.

The young mayer of Laliviero stood just inside his door, looking out towards the sea. It seemed that his fears were going to be realized, and that the sea would reach up and drown the small town. He feared that he would be forced to evacuate everyone to the Ruins, which were to the north, and on higher ground. While they would not have to move far, that would certainly mean that Laliviero was going to be destroyed.

"Faren dear! You shouldn't stand there! What if you were to be hit by lightning!?" his wife called to him, rushing up to stand by him.

"My dear, I'm afraid we're going to have to leave Laliviero. The sea grows ever closer to us, and the storm is getting worse, not subsiding." Faren sighed, not leaving his spot by the door.

"Is it... is it really going to come to that?" she asked him.

"Yes... I'm afraid it will." Faren took a deep breath and stepped outside the door. He stood under the pillar in the center of town, which had been carved by his grandfather, and stood ready to proclaim to the people that they would have no choice but to leave.

The people gathered nervously about him, all of them holding on tight to hats or umbrellas which the wind sought to sweep away, just as it seemed to want to sweep away Laliviero.

"Dear people of Laliviero!" Faren began. "It is clear to me now, that the storm is raging too hard for us to remain here! The sea is rising rapidly, and if we do not leave soon we shall be swept away! Our only choice is to head for the Ruins! We cannot head south, because the river has swelled to such a degree all hope of taking that route has faded! We must leave, and we must leave NOW!"

"But... but we can't leave! This is our home! My family has lived in this house since before my great grandfather's time!" one man shouted up.

"Listen to me! Buildings can be rebuilt! Treasures can be remade! Clothes can be resown! But lives, once lost, are gone forever and cannot be brought back! Are you willing to risk loosing your own life, and the lives of those you care for, for a construction of wood and clay? For mere gold? If so then I am ashamed of you all! As for myself, I shall be taking my wife, and what few possessions we can carry, and leaving at once!" Faren told them all passionately.

Faren could instantly see that his words had struck a chord in all the villagers. They looked to eachother, as if for a reason to stay, but none came. Before anyone knew what was happening they were all rushing into their homes, getting the sick, young, and old and preparing for the journey, and to stay at the Ruins for as long as necessary.

Faren and his wife packed their possessions quickly, focusing on important things, such as food and clothing. Faren strapped his sword to his waist, as his wife took her staff, and took one last look at his home before heading out into the harsh wind and rain.

Faren took the lead, and led every last person out of the small town. With his wife beside him they forged ahead, driving off monsters that came too close, and warning the others of dangers. In the distance Faren could just make out the ruins, which according to legend were connected with the ancient and mysterious Venus Lighthouse.

"We're close!" Faren called back to his wife.

"LOOK OUT!!!" a scream sounded from behind them.

Faren and his wife looked up in shock as a boulder, weakened by the wind and rain, came crashing down at them. His wife grabbed his arm and clung tight, it was happening to fast to do anything but that. They both screamed as one as the boulder reached them...

It was the shouts and screams that woke Sheba. She sat bolt upright as she heard shouts from the floor below her. She grabbed her staff and practically flew down the steps into her house. What she saw stopped her flat.

Instead of monsters, which were a very rare but not unheard of thing, there were men coming into her house. Her younger brother was on the floor crying loudly and her parents were shouting at the men.

"Sheba! Soldiers from Tolbi! They want you! Run!" Faren yelled at her.

Sheba acted out of instant obedience to her father. She turned to rush up the stairs to the roof, where she could easily jump across to the wall and flee, but her mother's scream made her turn back. Her mother had tried to keep a soldier from following Sheba up the stairs but the man struck her and grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me!" Sheba's mother shouted, scratching uselessly at the man. She was no weakling, but she could do nothing to the heavily armored soldier.

"Mamma!" Sheba yelled. She darted forward and threw a bolt of lightning at the man. While he wasn't seriously hurt the shock did stun him, throwing him away from her mother, sending him crashing into a table.

From there everything spun out of control. Faren drew his sword to defend his family, the soldiers drew their weapons, ordered to capture the girl at all costs, and Sheba's mother grabbed a different sword off the wall.

Sheba stood as if paralyzed as her father was charged by three soldiers, and her mother charged three others. For a moment it almost looked like Faren would hold off the three, but they were highly trained and outnumbered him. Sheba's mother fought bravely as well but was struck on the head by one of the soldiers and dropped to the floor unconscious. Faren snarled at the men and swung his sword violently, driving them back, but one of the men threw out a Briar Seed, which erupted into many spiky plants, all of which wrapped around her father's legs. One of the soldiers darted forward, as if to stab him, but was thrown back by a roaring blast of wind.

All the soldiers were struck by sudden fear as all their torches were blasted out by the wind, but there was still light. Sheba stood by the stairs, crackling with lightning, the wind roaring around her. A blast of wind blew the soldiers back from her, throwing them all out the door. Sheba stalked forward, her eyes blazing with pure hate for these men that invaded her home and hurt her family. Even her brother, who was Faren's actual son, who'd been wailing constantly through the whole thing was silent, staring at her with wide eyes.

"GET OUT OF MY HOME!" she roared at the men, releasing a blast of Psynergetic lightning at them.

The men scrambled away as she stood outside her house. She shot lightning at most anything that moved, stunning a soldier and a stray cat and several trees. The wind tore around her, throwing men away from her.

The men withdrew for a moment but quickly returned. Sheba advanced on them, building up lightning in her fist. One of the men drew his sword, and stood as if to attack her. Sheba threw the bolt at him, smashing him into the wall. But the soldiers were ready this time for her, and one darted forward, throwing something at her feet. She caught sight of it briefly, a round pinkish orb with a lit fuse coming out of it. A sleep bomb! It exploded at her feet, swirling with a pinkish cloud spraying at her. She gasped with shock, which was a huge mistake, as the pink smoke entered her lungs. The world around her went fuzzy, and started to spin.

"Daddy... help..." she groaned and keeled over, crashing to the ground with a thud.

The soldiers rushed forward and grabbed her, carrying her to their horses, throwing her over the back like some sort of hunting trophy.

"SHEBA! NO! SHEBA!!!" Faren shouted, rushing towards them.

The captain of the soldiers turned, smacking him violently in the head with a hard staff. Faren collapsed to the ground, the world threatening to go black. He reached feebly to grasp the horse with his daughter but it was too far, and the soldiers tied her to the saddle and galloped off into the south.

"SHEBAAAA!!!!!!" Faren screamed one more time, then all went black and he fell to the dirt.

They screamed as one as the boulder reached them, then the air resonated with a tremendous roar and both were blinded by an incredible flash of light. Faren threw himself over his wife, ready to protect her from whatever would come, but nothing happened. Finally, when his eyes cleared he could see the people rushing to them, screaming and asking if they were alright. He looked around him and shook the fine dust out of his hair. For a moment neither him nor his wife could grasp what had happened and then it hit them. As the boulder fell it was struck by lightning! It had shattered into dust and small rocks. It seemed they had been saved by the storm.

"W-We're alive!" his wife gasped.

"The storm... the storm saved us!" Faren said with awe, standing strait and looking around them. Somehow, some way, they had been protected.

"Sir! We must hurry! The storm is worsening!" one of his guards called to him.

"Yes, yes we must be going. Come on dearest, we're very close now." Faren helped his wife up and together they headed for the ruins.

The storm grew even worse, the rain literally dumped down onto them, and the lightning and thunder roared. They struggled up the hill, ever nearer to the ruins, and to shelter.

Suddenly Faren's wife grasped his arm again, pointing to the sky. For a moment he feared another boulder, but what he saw amazed him. Roaring down through the sky was what looked to be a shooting star, it was heading right for the Ruins! They couldn't make out any details but they could tell it would hit within seconds!

Faren and the other people of Laliviero all covered their eyes and ears as it hit. The roar was amazing, even with Faren's fingers jabbed into his ears he could hear the huge crash, and even with his eyes closed he could see the blinding flash.

Faren and the others rushed forward to the Ruins, or what remained of them. The Ruins had almost been half the size of the huge Lighthouse before, but now, only a few floors remained. Of the rest, all that there was, was a huge crater. In the center was a little girl.

Faren and six other men advanced carefully, unsure whether this small purple-haired child was human, or some beast taking the form of a human. Faren looked down at the little girl. She looked up at him with wide blue-green eyes, silently. Faren reached forward with his sword, going to touch her gently on the cheek to see if she was truly real, but his hands were shaking and his sword slipped, cutting the girl on the cheek. While the girl recoiled and winced in pain, she didn't cry, despite the fact she was clearly no older than two. She just looked up at him with those big eyes and her expression seemed to say to Faren, "Help me."

Faren reached down and picked the little girl up, cradling her in his arms, the scratch was already healing, with a rate of speed he had hardly ever seen.

"Mayer Faren, are you sure that's safe?" one man asked him.

"Yes... it's... just a child." Faren said, rubbing the little girls other cheek with the back of his hand. She smiled up at him, her eyes looking far too wise.

"A-are you SURE? She fell from the sky! Where else could she have come from." another man asked him.

"They... are right, dear, the girl is what fell from above. How could any child have survived that?" his wife asked him.

"She's... a gift." Faren said.

"A... gift?" she asked him in shock.

"Yes! A gift from heaven! A Child of the Gods!" Faren exclaimed.

His wife looked over his shoulder at the girl, who gave her that calm, knowing look, "Sheba. That's a good name for our first child." she told her husband calmly.

"Our-our child!?" Faren spluttered.

"Yes. Poor thing, we can't leave her out here, she'll freeze to death." she said calmly, taking the newly named Sheba out of her husband's arms.

"Are you sure? I mean, we weren't going to have any children for quite some time, until we could be sure of being able to take care of them properly. We were going to discuss it with other parents, get advice, make plans! And with the sea rising, we won't even have a home for her!" Faren told her.

"We have no choice, look at the little thing. I know it will be a huge responsibility, but we can do it." she told him fiercely.

Faren frowned and for a moment looked like he would disagree but he looked down at Sheba again, looked into those innocent, but wise eyes. He smiled softly.

"Then so be it, from now on Sheba shall be our daughter-" Faren was cut off suddenly by a call of, "It's a miracle!"

Faren looked up to the sky as the clouds began to suddenly clear. The rain stopped, the wind calmed, and the sea stopped it rise. He looked back down, at Laliviero which still stood. There would be repairs, it wouldn't be easy, and there would be a lot to do, with a new baby in the house but Faren was ready. He was going home, and was going to take his new family with him, and continue life, but not as usual, things would never be the same again.

"Wake up sweetheart! Wake up!" a kind, elderly voice called to Sheba, awakening her from her dreams.

"What-what's going on?" Sheba sat up in bed, looking around her. For a moment she was startled as to where she was and then memory returned. She was in one of the highest towers of Babi's Manor, as she had been for several months. She was in Tolbi, home of Lord Babi, a strange man who, as people whispered, was at least one hundred years old. He seemed desperate to have a lighthouse built at the old Ruins near Laliviero, desperate to have the people of Laliviero build it for him. He was the one that had ordered Sheba to be captured and imprisoned in his manor, which was more of a castle than a manor. Though it was unknown to any but a few, Babi truly was as old as rumour had it and older, he'd been seeking the lost land of Lemuria for many years, in order to get more of his precious Drought of Life, which he'd stolen from the isle along with a boat after having been stranded there since a shipwreck had stranded him and his friend Lunpa there. He'd taken the boat and Drought and abandoned the isle, and his friend.

But now things had to change, Babi's Drought was getting less and less, in fact he was almost out. He'd been rationing it as much as possible, and had almost gotten himself killed by doing so. Now he wanted Babi Lighthouse built, so he would be able to gaze out to see, hopefully to see Lemuria. Ships could not reach Lemuria, for the strange tides and mist confused sailor's bearings. He hoped to build the lighthouse so that they would have some sort of reference, and would be able to reach Lemuria. And now it looked like it would all succeed for him. Faren had finally agreed to have the people of Laliviero do everything within their power to build the lighthouse, as long as Sheba was returned.

"And so, since your father agreed to build the lighthouse Babi has agreed to let you go home!" the kind elderly woman who had taken care of Sheba for as long as she'd been in Tolbi, told her happily. Had the woman not been so afraid of Babi she would have helped Sheba escape herself.

"Really!? Can it be true? Am I really going to be able to return to my family!?" Sheba asked, her eyes filled with tears of joy.

"Yes, Babi has instructed seven guards to take you back to Laliviero." the lady explained.

"So it was, what irony. Seven soldiers took me, and now seven shall return me." Sheba mused. "Thank you Arla, you have been very kind to me, I would not have made it this long without you." Sheba embraced the old woman quickly.

"I am so happy for you." Arla told her, tears running down her cheeks, "But I must admit, I am going to miss you dearly, young one. When I was younger, I had quite a crush on Babi, he was a brave young mayer, with a strange secretive nature. I thought he was the most mysterious, handsome man on Weyard., but now... now I despise him for what he's done. And now he's finally going to get that blasted tower of his built." Arla said harshly.

Sheba went dead still, she had only had a solid prophesy twelve times in her life, and now her voice echoed deeply as she spoke her third, "Babi shall not complete his foolish endeavor. Babi Lighthouse shall never be finished and shall be but dust on the wind. His foolish pride has made him believe himself to be invincible, but within two months he shall realize how vincible he is."

Arla caught Sheba as she collapsed into the old woman's arms, her strength drained as when she spoke her other prophesies.

"Do not speak of this, tell no one what you saw!" Arla commanded. "Babi would not be happy to know of his failure. Speak of this to no one, and neither shall I."

"Yes... It would be best not to tell him... But I pity him. When we first met, I peered into his heart. He is a very lonely person, and he feels as if the world is all against him. Perhaps in a way it is. He is getting old, and time has become his enemy. But I sense he is not truly a bad person. He is deceitful, cunning, greedy, and foolish but he is not a bad person in the end. He never wanted to hurt anyone when he had his soldiers take me from Laliviero, and while I've been here he's been kind and almost fatherly to me. I wish him no ill for what he's done."

Arla stared at her in awe, "You are truly an amazing person, to so easily forgive someone with all the wrongs he has done you."

"No... Babi deserves to be forgiven, and I wish he would succeed, though I know he shall not." Sheba told her.

"Come dear, it's time. You're going home." Arla told her, getting Sheba's traveling clothes and staff.

So Sheba and her guard left Tolbi. Though Sheba believed she would be going home, and that her life would return to normal, things would never be the same again...


	2. Chapter 2

The wind. That was the first thing Sheba sensed about Suhalla. There were strange sounds on the wind, strange, unearthly sounds. She addressed her concerns to the guards, the men who had been appointed to protect her and guide her back to her hometown of Laliviero. Sheba stood on the edge of one of the roof of the inn. Her love of high, precarious places was driving her guards absolutely insane.

"P-please Miss Sheba, come DOWN!" her current guard, a young man named Tarel begged her. She happened to know that Tarel had a terrible fear of heights.

"Can't you hear it?" Sheba asked him, looking out towards the desert. "It doesn't sound right, the wind is carrying some strange voice..."

Tarel stopped his whimpering for a moment to look out, following her gaze, "All I hear is the wind, the constant howling wind. How can people actually live here!?"

"That was my thought exactly, but... why can't you hear it!? Why? What is it that I hear? Why can't I put it into words!?" Sheba cried in frustration.

"Miss... Miss Sheba? Can we please go down now?" Tarel whimpered again to her.

Sheba sighed, looking out at the desert again, "What am I going to do? It's going to be torture going through that desert... last time I was unconscious... but now..."

"Miss-"

"YES! I'M COMING!" Sheba screamed at the man. She shoved past him and stormed down the ladder.

Tarel scampered after her, clearly worried about having upset her, but clearly relieved to be off the roof.

"Look... how old ARE you?" Sheba asked him, looking him up and down.

"S-seventeen..." Tarel told her.

"Seventeen? So you're a brand new guard aren't you?" Sheba asked him.

"Yes... I won sixth place in-" he began.

"PLEASE don't get me started on that RIDICULOUS tournament of Babi's." Sheba snapped at him. Her eyes softened, feeling sympathy for him, "That's very good though. You must be a very good fighter."

"W-well..." he blushed deeply.

Sheba looked at him again, this time with calm eyes and not angered eyes. 'He really is quite handsome' she thought to herself. He had sandy gold hair and soft brown eyes. His armor was more leather than metal, signifying his youth and low status as a soldier. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and his smile, while hesitant, was actually quite nice.

"Tell me, do you have a girl waiting for you in Tolbi?" Sheba asked. She mentally kicked herself for so forward a question.

"Yes. Melinda is her name. We're going to be married when I get back to Tolbi." he told her. He showed her a lock of hair he carried always in his chest pocket.

'Next to his heart... my my aren't we a romantic...' Sheba smiled and said instead, putting her hand on his arm, "I'm sure you'll be very happy together..."

Sheba stiffened suddenly, her eyes clouding over, "I see an empty house, and a young lady waiting alone inside. But I see the door opening. A man walks into the door and three young children, two boys and one girl, come bounding down the stairs to greet him. The mother has blue eyes and black hair, the children look mostly like their father, though their father bears a limp he did not carry when he was younger. You are their father, and I feel you shall be happy with them until the end of your days."

Sheba staggered and collapsed into his arms. She felt something drip on her face and looked up to see Tarel was crying, "Thank you Miss Sheba, thank you for prophesying for me. I've been so worried about this mission... I... I was afraid I wouldn't make it back..."

"You will. The future is usually clouded, and I usually see only things that MIGHT be. But this is one thing I'm sure about. Sometimes I do have a solid prophesy, this was one of those times." Sheba told him kindly. "Now, I think I need to talk a walk, clear my head a bit." Sheba stood carefully and brushed herself off.

"I'll come with you, Miss Sheba." Tarel told her.

"No, no, it's okay. I won't leave the village. I'll just go down by the Item Vender and come strait back." Sheba smiled and started walking. "I'm a teenage girl, and I need my space." she joked.

"Alright, alright. You win. Just be careful, okay? This whole place sets my nerves on edge." he muttered.

"Alright! Don't worry." Sheba headed off. 'You and me both... what do I feel here?' she wondered.

Sheba was deep in thought as she rounded the corner, not looking where she was going, she crashed into a man walking by.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I-" she looked up into deep fire-red eyes.

Sheba staggered back, locked into those eyes, fear surging through her heart. The blue-haired man looked surprised, not by her crashing into him, or her reaction, but by something he felt deep within her.

"I-I have to go!" she said. Shuddering from fear she turned and literally ran all the way back to the inn.

Sheba looked around until she saw Tarel, "Tarel!!!!" she cried. She ran over to him, running into his arms and sobbing against his chest.

"What is it Miss Sheba, what happened!?" he asked her, stunned by her sudden show of emotion.

"Oh... oh Tarel, I was so scared! There was this person... and he... and he..." she continued to sob, unable to continue.

"What did he do? Where is he!?" Tarel drew his sword.

Sheba managed to get some semblance of control over herself and rubbed the tears from her eyes, "He... did nothing. There was just something... terrifying about him. I don't know why, but I've never felt so frightened of anyone as I felt of that man... It's alright. I'm okay now."

"Are you sure Miss Sheba? Should we try to find this man?" Tarel asked her.

"No! No! Whatever happened you must NOT contest him!" Sheba shouted. "Nor any with this man. He is a very... very dangerous person! I don't know how I know this, but whatever happens do NOT fight him, nor let any of the other soldiers fight him."

"If the others try to fight him, I must join them, and I cannot stop them." he shook his head.

"Please... you MUST promise me you will not fight him! PLEASE!" Sheba shouted.

"Alright! Fine, I give you my word that I won't fight him or any with him, alright?" Tarel swore.

"That is... acceptable." Sheba nodded. She brushed herself off again and headed for her room in the inn.

The night grew dark over Suhalla. Many people would testify that nights in Suhalla were darker than any others. And truly, as Sheba thought as she snuck through the town, it did feel as if the stars were veiled, and the lack of moon was no help. To make things worse the strange sound of the desert continued to haunt her.

Now Sheba was determined. Before she could think of nothing to do but flee the mysterious man, but now she was determined to find him, and to find out who he was. She slipped through the streets like a shadow, unseen and unheard by any.

She knew the strange man was not at the inn, because all three rooms were filled by her and her seven guards. She'd searched in the area near the inn, and near the shop, but the strange man was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't find him in area of the town, until she saw the light.

The light was a small dot of light on a hill in the distance. The light was quite small, and could be little but a small campfire. The night seemed even darker, and Sheba realized that the hill was closer to the desert. But she knew that the only way for her to find this mystery man was to reach this fire.

Sheba approached silently, drifting between the slim foliage close to the camp. She could just see several figures near the fire. Three were right by the fire, two were sitting together, leaning against a tree, and one was by himself, running his hand in the small clear pool of water, produced by a spring. The spring was clearly what made the oasis possible.

Sheba got close enough where she could hide behind a bush and listen to them talk. What she heard stunned her.

"I found something interesting today." one man, who she recognized as the man who scared her so, said.

"Oh? What could ANYONE find in this sad little town, Saturos?" the woman sitting by him asked.

"I believe I found a Jupiter Adept." he smiled.

The man, though Sheba guessed he was about eighteen, across the fire from them, sitting in a way that said, 'Leave me alone' sat up strait, "A Wind Adept!? Here!? What would a Jupiter Adept be doing HERE of all places? So close to the Lighthouse?"

"That's what I was wondering. What would she be doing here? I couldn't see her face clearly but I'm sure I felt it when she touched me." the man called Saturos smiled leaning back.

"We can use her." the man by the water said. He stood slowly and walked towards them. Sheba could tell he was very handsome, and was clearly from a place other than any of the others. "We need a Jupiter Adept to enter Jupiter Lighthouse. She will be a useful tool, especially if she's powerful."

"Why must you speak of everyone like they're all your pawns, Alex?" the old man, sitting by the younger girl against the tree glared at them.

"My dear Kraden, you hurt me. When have I ever treated a person like a thing?" Alex smiled back smoothly.

"Try every day of your life!" the younger girl snapped.

"That's enough! I would shut that sweet little mouth of your's if I were you, or I'll shut it for you!" the woman snapped.

"Menardi! That's enough." Saturos told her.

Menardi growled and glared but settled back down.

"The POINT here is, is when should we capture her?" the quiet boy said.

"Quite simple, Felix. The girl is clearly going to Laliviero, I LISTEN, while the rest of you rush about without thought. The girl is Sheba, captured by Babi in his quest to build Babi Lighthouse. It's quite simple. They will not be able to make it through the desert, and when the soldiers are gone, we take the girl. Though, I cannot be sure it's her, I would have to touch her or look deeply into her eyes to make sure. Let's not do anything about it until we're sure it is her." Alex told him calmly.

But Sheba heard none of this. She had fled the moment Alex said "We can use her." She would not know this until it was too late. Sheba's next mistake was heading straight to bed without telling anyone what had happened. When she woke up the next morning she had a painful headache, and considered the whole thing to be a dream.

"Good morning, Miss Sheba!" Tarel told her eagerly when she came out of her room. "Are you ready to get started after breakfast?"

"Started?" Sheba asked, momentarily confused.

"Yes, started on the way through the Suhalla desert." he told her.

"I thought you were going to find a guide first!" she stared at him.

"We have already! This morning we were approached by a man who offered to guide us, since he and his group are going through anyway. All we have to do is bring many barrels of water." Tarel explained to her.

"Water?" Sheba asked him, furrowing her brow.

"Yes, for drinking and because our guide said we would need it for something else. He wouldn't explain what though." Tarel smiled.

"Tarel! Sheba? Are you up? It's time for us to be going, we've got a mule, since the horses can't make it through this sand well, and we have the barrels of water." the captain called, coming in the inn.

"We're ready." Sheba told him.

Sheba and Tarel followed him out, the wind was rather strong so Sheba did her best to stay behind Tarel. She didn't want to try controlling the winds, her knowledge of her power was too limited, and her head was throbbing again.

Sheba and Tarel rounded the corner, and Sheba thought for sure her heart had stopped. There standing, talking to the captain was the blue-haired blue-eyed man from the night before.

"No need captain, my group and I shall be going through Suhalla Desert as it is, and we would be happy to guide you for free." Alex smiled.

"Well... if you're sure. You have Tolbi's thanks." the captain shook his hand.

"Sheba? What's wrong? You look so pale." Tarel asked her, his face total concern.

"It's... nothing. It's alright." Sheba shook her head, telling herself it was just a dream and that the man and his group could do nothing against all seven soldiers even if it wasn't.

So the group head out. Alex, Saturos, Menardi, Felix, Jenna, and Kraden walked in front of Sheba and the soldiers. Jenna and Kraden were in front of the others with Menardi, so Sheba found herself unable to talk with them. Both of them had been instructed to remain silent.

The unhappy group, except for Alex who seemed to find something terribly funny, the way he kept grinning and chuckling to himself, trudged on towards the desert. Sheba was starting to feel unusually cold, despite the fact they were entering a desert and the increasingly annoying howling sound was driving her to distraction.

"I can see you can hear it too." Alex said, falling back to walk beside her.

"Y-yes. What is it?" she asked him, curiosity overriding fear.

Something within Sheba told her not to let him get too close, and her eyes were half closed against the wind and sand. This highly annoyed Alex, but he didn't show it.

"I can't say. Perhaps it is the desert itself. Like the Lama Desert some sort of evil has taken residence here. Needless to say the monsters are flourishing." Alex explained calmly.

"We're almost to the desert, Alex, we'll need you to go first." Saturos called.

"Of course, Saturos. I'm coming." Alex nodded and headed in front to lead the group.

The powerful winds grew to a blazing sandstorm, making progress miserable. Sheba could barely see Alex in front of the group. Unlike the others he wasn't even covering his eyes, but simply striding ahead as if nothing could possibly be wrong with the world.

"Stand back." Alex called back, his voice barely carrying over the wind.

Sheba's eyes grew wide as a whirlwind burst up in front of Alex. She saw Saturos and Menardi stagger backwards, mildly stunned by the wind. Alex advanced forward towards the cyclone, standing boldly before it.

"Douse!" she heard him shout.

Water appeared out of the air in front of Alex and dumped upon the whirlwind. The effect was instantaneous. The whirlwind spun to a stop, and a strange looking beast appeared in it's place. The beast looked like some sort of a giant lizard with a frill, standing on two legs.

The creature roared at Alex, who instantly stepped back, moving behind Saturos and Menardi. Saturos and Menardi darted forward quickly, Saturos' blade flashing out in an instant, along with Menardi's scythe. Saturos attacked it first, Menardi following up his slash with a slice of her own. The monster flashed and turned to ash.

Saturos, Menardi, Alex, Felix, Kraden, and Jenna darted forward through the gap in the rock, the last two barely making it through before another whirlwind popped up in the other's place. The others moved on, seeming to forget Sheba and her guards.

Sheba's guards, figuring out what to do, rushed forward with a barrel of water, throwing it all on the whirlwind. Sheba stood back, with Tarel who was her personal guard and was instructed to stay close to her at all times, and watched her guards slay the beast, before rushing through with them.

The winds grew fiercer and fiercer and the group went deeper and deeper into the desert. Sheba was totally unable to sleep that night, the wind and mysterious howling keeping her constantly awake. None of the others seemed able to sleep, but sat, ready to defend themselves. The only ones able to sleep were Alex and Kraden. Alex, because nothing seemed to ruffle his feathers, Kraden, because he was getting to be rather elderly and needed his sleep(or so he said).

As soon as the sun was up, the groups were ready to move forward through the desert. The constant wear and tear of fighting monsters, the wind, the whirlwinds, and the monsters contained within was starting to wear on the groups. Even Alex didn't look as pristine as usual.

Sheba tried to converse with Felix, but for the most part he ignored her. Until she asked him where he came from. He told her all about his hometown, about the waterfall by where his house was, and about the beautiful plaza at the exit. Sheba told him much about Laliviero, about how she was so happy to be returning home, about her family, about her troubles of being so different than the others, and about her imprisonment in Tolbi.

"And so now I'm finally going home." she finished.

"I'm... sorry. I know what it's like to be taken far from my home, and to be unable to return." Felix nodded. But when Sheba tried to press further he wouldn't explain.

Sheba finally sighed, "Alright, alright. I understand, you don't want to talk about it."

"Thank you..." Felix smiled at her, a rare sight.

"For?"

"For understanding... not many people can understand how I feel about anything." Felix said, sadly.

Sheba found herself starting to smile herself, "I know how that feels, I've always felt so separate from the other children of Laliviero. I've been very lonely..."

Sheba looked up into Felix's eyes and smiled. Her smile faded when, though he disguised it, deep in his eyes there was a soft look of regret and pity. Something about that frightened her and she broke eye contact.

"I-I'm going to go to the back of the group, I want to make sure we aren't being followed by anything." Felix said suddenly and dropped back behind the rest.

The group continued on through the ceaseless wind and sand. Sheba felt glad that Felix had gone to the back of the group, had he gone to speak with Saturos and Menardi she would have instantly had her guards take her away from them. She saw Felix come back, but he went on to the front of the group, and she could tell he didn't speak to the others.

The wind grew harsher and harsher, pushing most of them back, until Sheba found herself walking almost side-by-side with Saturos and Menardi, though she was sure to stay a distance from them. The two glanced at her occasionally, but apparently didn't see what they were looking for in her.

"Ware! Monsters!" Felix shouted suddenly.

Sheba looked up, and found herself suddenly being pulled to the ground by Tarel as a flying monster, a Harpie slashed with it's claws right where she'd been standing. Orc Soldiers came darting down around them, at least twenty!

Tarel drew his sword, guarding Sheba's back, while Felix took up a position to defend her from the front. The monsters charged them, roaring as they went. Joining the other beasts were two of the Storm Lizards, blasting the group with their Wind Psynergies.

Menardi and Saturos danced between the monsters easily, slashing as they went. Alex stood back with Jenna and Kraden, a sword in each hand, protecting the two. Saturos and Menardi far outclassed any of the monsters that attacked them, but were starting to slow.

Sheba's guards were having far more trouble. Even with their swords, shields, and spears, the monsters were driving them back. Felix fought fiercely but was clearly no match for the Wind Psynergy the Storm Lizards wielded. Tarel was quickly weakening, despite his heavy uses of Vials.

Just when it seemed the monsters were about to overpower the group, despite Saturos and Menardi, the monsters suddenly seemed to panic, fleeing from the group with impressive speed. The monsters all looked terrified.

"What's going on?" Sheba called.

Alex paled suddenly, looking behind the groups. The wind was intensifying by the minute. He was able to see through the wind enough to make out a dark shape, far in the distance, but nearing rapidly.

"RUN!" Alex shouted, finally it seemed that something scared him.

Saturos and Menardi shared glances and darted after him. Jenna and Kraden, looked terrified. The monsters' reaction and Saturos and Menardi's reaction scared them more than anything they'd experienced.

Sheba's guards and herself ran as fast as they could. A tremendous roar sounded from behind them, and the wind went from a general roar to a massive roaring and rushing sound. The strange sound that it seemed only Sheba and Alex could hear intensified to a howl.

Sheba spared a glance behind her and instantly regretted it. Behind them was a massive whirlwind, more incredible than any of the Storm Lizard's they had seen. It tore up into the sky, like a pillar of wind. A smaller, faster one spun around at the base of it, clearly joining it in it's attack.

Sheba shuddered suddenly, dropping to the ground, crashing and spraying sand all over her companions. A bolt of electricity had darted out of the larger whirlwind, stunning her with pain.

"Miss Sheba!" Tarel cried.

Her soldiers rushed to her, all seven kneeling down around her with concern as the captain gave her an Elixir to restore her and remove the paralysis. She finally felt the feeling returning to her and she looked up at them to thank them. Instead her eyes widened in fear.

"LOOK OUT!" she shrieked.

Her soldiers turned with professional trained speed, but they were too slow. The smaller whirlwind, still far bigger than any Storm Lizard's whirlwind, slammed into them, sucking the soldiers into itself.

Sheba lunged out, grabbing a stunted tree with one hand and Tarel's hand with the other, holding as tight as she could. The whirlwind almost seemed to intensify, pulling on them harder. Rocks and sand spun through it, striking the two repeatedly.

"Miss Sheba! Let go!" Tarel shouted at her, as loud as he could she could still barely hear him.

"No!" she exclaimed.

"If you don't you'll be sucked in too! I swore my life to protect you! You must let go!" he called desperately.

"No! I won't!" she cried back.

For a moment Tarel's face showed worry, fear, and concern. But then it got cold and hard. He pulled out his dagger and slashed the back of her hand, the only thing he could think to do.

Sheba screamed, and with reflex, let go.

"NO!" she screamed as he was pulled into the whirlwind.

The wind twisted harshly, throwing all seven soldiers so they would smash into one of the rocky walls in the desert canyon.

Sheba screamed in concern for them and used all the power she could muster to create a new burst of wind, which tore the men from their fatal course. The larger whirlwind shot forward suddenly, grabbing the seven suddenly, sucking them in. Sheba sensed that they were hurt, as the wind threw them away, but that they all survived.

The hair on the back of Sheba's neck stood up as she got the sudden impression of the larger whirlwind focusing it's attention on her. It moved forward, the smaller one shifting out of it's way as it spun towards her. She screamed in terror as it was close to reaching her. She knew her little handhold wouldn't be able to save her from being sucked into the massive wind.

Suddenly in front of her a wall of solid rock shot out of the ground, coming between her and the wind. Strong arms wrapped around her, not gently either, and pulled her away from the tree. She began to struggle when she realized it was Saturos that grabbed her.

"Did you see that Saturos!? What power she holds! She truly is a Wind Adept!" Menardi exclaimed, throwing fire behind her as she ran.

"Yes! Now we have what we need at last!" Saturos grinned.

"Let go of me!" Sheba kicked at him.

"Do you truly want him to do that?" Alex asked curiously, running calmly beside them. "If Saturos were to leave you here the whirlwinds would easily kill you, if the other monsters don't get you first. In fact, we're SAVING you."

"I don't care, let go of me!" she snarled, throwing her staff at his head.

Alex caught it easily, "I'm afraid we can't do that my dear girl. We need you to light the Jupiter Lighthouse Beacon."

Sheba's face paled, "L-Light the Beacon!? But you need-"

"The Jupiter Star? We have it. And we have the Venus Star. That is where we're going now, Venus Lighthouse. All we need is the Mars Star, and we shall get that when the group that follows us reaches us." Menardi laughed.

"But if you light the Beacons then Alchemy will be released! With that power, mankind might destroy the entire world!" Sheba exclaimed.

"Fool! You know nothing!" Menardi snarled.

"Menardi! Focus on running!" Felix called to her. "My wall and your flames won't hold those whirlwinds back long!"

Menardi growled but nodded, turning back to running.

Sheba didn't even notice when Saturos set her down, the roaring was getting close. Clearly the winds were coming. She ran with the others in fear, not knowing the fate of the brave guards which had saved her life.

"The creatures cannot go beyond the boundaries of the desert!" Alex called over his shoulder.

The whirlwinds roared and sped up. Alex clearly wasn't going to wait for the others, his sense of self preservation far greater than his sense of loyalty to his companions. He glowed bright blue and warped, vanishing.

"ALEX! CURSE YOU!" Menardi roared.

"Don't begrudge him! Any of us would do the same!" Saturos shouted to her.

"You're right again, but it may not matter! Hurry!" she cried, watching the winds approach over her shoulder.

Saturos and Menardi nodded to eachother and turned suddenly. Saturos cast his strongest spell. Pyroclasm! Menardi also cast her powerful Super Nova spell. The whirlwinds roared, in pain it seemed, and retreated. The whole area of desert was scorched badly.

Sheba stood in shock, stunned by the incredible power held by Saturos and Menardi.

Felix shook her, "Come on! They didn't destroy the beasts within the whirlwinds, they'll return! We must be out of the desert by the time they do!"

Sheba nodded to him, taking one last look over her shoulder, before hurrying on with the others.

'The moment we're out of the desert. The very moment, I'll flee them. I'm far faster than any of them. I can do it.' Sheba thought.

The group hurried on through the last remaining bits of the desert, breaking out of the desert, back onto fertile ground. Sheba thought she could see the two whirlwinds in the distance, back in the desert, but she could never be sure.

Saturos and Menardi sat down heavily, leaning against a tree. The amount of power they'd put into those two spells had clearly drained them more than it seemed, along with fighting all the previous monsters and the sleepless night.

Jenna collapsed, crying with relief and Kraden and Felix went by her side to comfort her. Sheba could instantly tell that Felix really was a good person, he didn't want anyone to get hurt in this matter, and the thought of kidnapping anyone clearly disturbed him deeply, she would almost regret leaving him without saying goodbye.

'Now's my chance!' she thought.

She turned suddenly and ran in the direction of River. She knew if she could just reach the river then she would be able to swim to the other side and Saturos and Menardi would have trouble crossing. Sheba could hide somewhere in the ruins then, the two would never be able to find her.

"Saturos! She's escaping!" Menardi shrieked.

The two lept up and chased her, but swiftly were falling behind her. She cheered, she was going to make it!

Alex kicked her suddenly and painfully in the stomach, making her crash to the ground.

Menardi and Saturos came up quickly.

"Alex! You'd better not've hurt her too badly!" Saturos snarled.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine, I just winded her." Alex told him calmly, still sparkling from his warp.

Alex kneeled down by Sheba's head and whispered into her ear, "This time it was just a kick, you'll be fine. Next time we won't be so gentle. We just need your Psynergy, we don't need you to be in perfect condition for it." he threatened.

"I-I will... not resist..." Sheba finally said, still gasping for air.

Alex stood up, "Perfect. Come along, Saturos, Menardi, everyone, Sheba. We have a beacon to light. I suppose proper introductions are in order now. Sheba, this is Jenna, Felix's sister, who is also our prisoner, as to bring the group with the Mars Star to follow us. The leader of the group has a bit of a crush on her, I do believe. This is Kraden, a scholar of Alchemy. He works in Babi's employ to research it, but we have need of his knowledge. He also makes good bait, like Jenna."

"So that's why they wouldn't talk, they are prisoners too..." Sheba said coldly.

"I'm sorry my dear, I did wish to warn you away so much..." Kraden said sadly, tears forming in his blue eyes.

Sheba walked up and put her arm around the old man's shoulders, "It's alright, there was nothing you could've done."

"I guess we're free to talk now." Jenna said.

"Go ahead, we don't care." Menardi shrugged and began walking again.

Felix looked at her sadly before following the other three and said, "I'm so sorry... for all of this..."

Sheba looked at him compassionately, "I don't blame you. In fact, I'm sorry for you."

Felix sighed, "Don't be, anything that happens... I've brought upon myself."


	3. Chapter 3

The group trudged on in discouraged silence, the path to Laliviero long and arduous. The great mountains, painted with the colors of fall, and the Suhalla Gate loomed into view after the second day of travel. The group rested the night, Saturos and Menardi keeping a close eye on Sheba and the other two. Alex, as usual, remained entirely nonchalant, having no fear of their prisoners escaping. Sheba tried to speak with Felix, but whenever she tried he found some excuse to distance himself from her.

The next day, when everyone awoke, the group moved upon the Suhalla Gate. Sheba stood totally confident that the soldiers from Laliviero would recognize and rescue her from the mad trio. Even if the soldiers couldn't save her, at least they would keep the group from passing to Laliviero, and Venus Lighthouse.

"Halt! Who goes there?" one of the soldiers guarding the gate shouted to them as their group neared.

"Travelers, we simply wish to go through to Laliviero." Alex said calmly, stepping between the guards and Sheba, blocking her from their view.

"You need to show papers from Lord Babi to pass through." the soldier said firmly.

"Ahh, alas, we had... troubles in the Desert, and our papers were lost to us. We came assured that any soldier under Lord Babi-may he live forever-would be understanding of our predicament. We need to get my dear sick niece to a specialist doctor in Laliviero." Alex said smoothly, yanking Jenna forward. Apparently, the group had practiced this and Jenna did her best to look tired and weak.

"Hmm... well..." the two guards glanced at eachother, "I suppose we'll let you pass, but next time we WILL require papers, one way or another!"

Alex smiled, "Thank you SO very much kind sirs, as soon as my niece has recovered we shall bring you one of my sister's special apple pies."

Jenna had a very great deal of difficulty keeping a straight face when Alex indicated Menardi as his sister, and mentioned her "Apple pies." Jenna and the others had one encounter with Menardi's cooking, which leaded to the entire group running to the Sanctum for a poison cure.

The soldiers smiled and bowed to them as they went through. Saturos, Alex, Felix, and Menardi on each side of Sheba, doing their best to keep her unseen. It hit Sheba, a moment too late, that if the soldiers realized who she was, and what was going on, that someone would get hurt, either way.

"Wait a moment... Miss Sheba? Is that you?" one of the soldiers asked, looking over Menardi's shoulder.

"N-no, my name is Sabrina!" Sheba exclaimed, wanting no harm to befall the soldiers on her account, her previous plans forgotten, putting on a high voice to disguise herself.

"Wait... Sheba that is you! What's going on! You aren't Sheba's honor guard!" the soldier asked angrily, getting between the group and the Gate. Several other soldiers joined him quickly.

"It would be wise... to get out of our way." Menardi growled through her teeth.

"Don't worry, Sheba! We'll save you!" one of the soldiers exclaimed, readying his spear.

"No! Do what they say! They're dangerous!" Sheba exclaimed.

The soldiers didn't listen to her, but charged at the group, waving swords, spears, and axes. The soldiers were clearly positive that Saturos and Menardi, in their minimal armor would pose no threat to them, being high placers in Colossus as they were.

Kraden, Alex, and Felix pulled Jenna and Sheba back, away from the other two to prevent them any harm. Saturos and Menardi stood ready, not even bothering to draw their weapons.

"NO!" Sheba screamed.

It was too late, Saturos and Menardi both glowed with a brilliant red light, and flame shot out of their hands, throwing the soldiers against the cliff walls. Most of the soldiers got up, charging again, but Menardi laughed throwing her arms wide, "SUPER NOVA!" she yelled.

Sparks of flame shot out of her hands, all of which exploded mightily, knocking unconscious all of the soldiers, in one fell blow.

"No!" Sheba ran forward to the guards but Saturos grabbed her, holding her in a headlock to keep her away.

"We must be going now Sheba, come on." he growled, yanking her, kicking and screaming through the rest of the Gate.

As a final bit of spite, Saturos turned, blasting off the doors of the Gate, the steel warping and twisting under his powerful flames.

"Unless you want to see someone REALLY get hurt, I suggest you cooperate!" Saturos snarled at her, throwing her to the ground in front of them.

The shere enormity of Saturos and Menardi's powers hit her, and it was pure fear the inspired her legs to move, staying in front of Alex, behind Saturos and Menardi. Sheba held a deep fear for the people of Laliviero. She knew that any of them would fight to rescue her, especially her parents, and was terribly afraid that someone might get seriously hurt, or worse.

Menardi, looking over her shoulder at Sheba, smiled nastily, guessing the girl's thoughts, "Don't worry Sheba, as long as you cooperate, we won't kill anyone if we can help it, but I won't promise we won't rough them up a bit!"

Sheba nodded bleakly, it seems her predicament was getting worse and worse by the moment.

In the sky, the Venus Lighthouse became more visible by the hour, a huge pillar of stone, rising up into the sky, impossibly high. The stone used to build it was certainly ancient, but showed no signs of weathering or age. In fact, the stone still glinted, as if newly polished.

"Look at it Saturos. It incredible. I can feel the dormant power, just waiting to be unleashed!" Menardi whispered to Saturos, caught up in the reverie of the moment.

"Yes... and soon, it shall blaze with light again!" Saturos exclaimed.

Alex smiled, and Sheba heard him whisper to himself, "So close, my goal draws nearer by the moment."

Sheba looked at him distrustfully, she trusted Alex the least of the group, there was something about him that made her wary. Something about him scared her, even more that Saturos and Menardi did. His cool nature, and his tendency to refer to people as if they were things, everything about him unnerved her.

"We have company." Felix said, pointing at the base of the Lighthouse.

Sheba realized what he was pointing at. There were people all over the area around the base of the Lighthouse. Sheba gasped as she realized that these were scholars sent by Babi. There were also many soldiers with them.

"This could be a bit messy." Saturos chuckled.

Before Sheba could say anything, the group hurried on, hoping to reach the Lighthouse without any trouble.

"I'm sorry, the Lighthouse isn't open for tourists at the moment." on soldier told them as they drew closer, "Not that the Lighthouse is actually OPEN at any time, but the door and outside are currently being examined by Lord Babi's scholars. Come back some other time."

"Oh don't worry, we won't get in their way, we just would like to see the door to the great Lighthouse up close." Alex said. Sheba did appreciate the way he was trying to avoid bloodshed.

"No, I'm sorry. Come back in a couple weeks." the soldier said.

"Please sir, we've traveled a very long time, just for the chance to visit the Lighthouse, and we cannot be staying long. We have... other places we need to be going, so we would just like to make a brief stop. It'll only take a mom-"

"No, I'm sorry. Orders of Lord Babi. NO ONE is allowed near the Lighthouse until the scholars are finished!" the soldier said firmly.

"I warn you, we aren't taking no for an answer." Saturos growled.

"Is that a threat? Well I'm saying no. No no no no n-" the soldier started.

The soldier's final no was cut off by Saturos darting forward, slamming the man in the stomach with his fist, the soldier keeling over, gasping for air worse than Sheba was after being kicked by Alex.

"Hey! What's going on over here!" another soldier called, rushing up.

"Volcano!" Saturos boomed. A blast of flame exploded from the ground, blasting the soldier with fire.

The group moved swiftly forward, Alex and Felix pressing the other three to keep up with Saturos and Menardi. The pair went a little crazy, blasting fire at pretty much anyone that was in their way. Soldiers and scholars alike. Most of them lunged into the bushes to get away from the group, scrambling in fear of this strange and fearsome power.

One scholar near the door to the Lighthouse, with a bit more courage than his companions managed to stutter out to them, "I-It won't do you any good! Nothing opens this door! We've even tried explosives! So wh-whatever your power is, even it won't do it!"

"Get out of our way." Saturos snarled, grabbing the man by his shirt and throwing him out of the way with almost inhuman strength.

"Well, Felix? You know what to do!" Menardi snapped at him.

"Yes, Menardi." Felix said, his voice cold and mildly angry.

Felix stepped forward and put his hand on the door. His body lit up with orange light, only visible to the Adepts and Kraden, who had the power to see Psynergy, but not use it. The energy flowed out of him into the doorway. The door had the image of a seed on it, so the Psynergy that Felix used was Growth. The light coursed out of his hand into the seed, which grew slowly, though it was made of stone, into a large tree. The door slowly vanished, fading away as the tree grew.

"Amazing..." Alex whispered, in awe at the power it took for the ancients to construct such a door.

"Let's go. I can sense the group following us is not that far behind us, they move swiftly." Menardi said.

The group went into the Lighthouse, the scholars that were conscious stared on in shock. Sheba silently said a prayer that they would all be alright as she walked in, followed by Jenna and Alex. Alex usually stayed in the back, while Saturos and Menardi walked in front. This time, Felix walked in front of Saturos and Menardi, feeling more confident in the Lighthouse of his own element.

"This Lighthouse does not seem to posses many puzzles..." Alex said after a while.

"No... it doesn't. Something about that disturbs me." Felix said, pausing.

"Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth." Saturos shrugged.

Finally, the group came to a decisive dead end. There was a huge amount of electric power shooting from one wall to another. Though Alex, Saturos, Menardi, and Felix did whatever they could, trying to stop it, nothing they did would alter the flow.

"This isn't a way through..." Felix said after a while.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked him.

"This is the exit. Look over there at that statue on the other side, you can see it between those two bolts, I think there's a switch on the floor, which disables the lightning. This is designed as a way out. The moment someone walks down the stairs here, the statue moves back, and the lightning starts again." Felix pointed out.

"He's right..." Saturos said, looking carefully at the statue, "This is only the way out."

"Then how do we get IN?" Menardi asked, aggravated.

"There's another path somewhere, I'm sure." Alex said. Alex darted out of the room, since he could search the Lighthouse far faster on his own. Finally, after about twenty minutes, he returned.

"I found it, a hidden passageway." Alex reported calmly.

The group followed him back down the stairs, and to a totally different point in the Lighthouse. The group entered the previously hidden door and continued their advance through the Lighthouse.

"Blast it!" Saturos snarled, "Another dead end! There's just a pair of statues in this room!"

"Hmm... the secret might lie in these statues." Alex said.

On the floor were quite a few circles, with dark stones in the center. They seemed to form two paths from the large statue, similar to the ones of Iris in the Mercury Lighthouse, to a smaller statue that was an exact replica of the Venus Lighthouse.

Alex walked up to the statue of Iris, waiting for it to speak into his mind. Nothing happened. He frowned, "Hmm... let's try this. Ply!" he called. Sparkles of healing energy shot out of his hands and into the statue. That was the key to activating those in Mercury. But here, nothing happened.

"I don't understand..." Alex said after a moment, getting down from the pedestal, made by the statue's hands.

"Nor do I..." Saturos said.

The group sat down and waited while Alex tried different things at the statue, but nothing he did made any difference, it stood there silently, as if mocking him.

"Perhaps... This is the Lighthouse of Venus, so perhaps it would make a difference if Felix stood on the pedestal?" Sheba finally offered, eager simply to be out of the stifling room.

"Hmm... the statue is the same as one of those in Mercury, but that is a good idea. Felix, give it a shot." Ales said.

"Alright." Felix nodded, standing up.

Felix stood in front of the statue, looking at it apprehensively. Finally he stepped up, onto the platform. Felix stood bolt upright as the voice spoke into his head, and the heads of the others. They listened in silence as the statue told them that they weren't at the opening, but that the opening lied on ancient soil. The statue then asked Felix what path he wished to take to the Lighthouse, the left or right path?

Felix looked back at Alex, unsure what to say.

"The right path." Alex finally said, "I don't think it matters really."

"Spirit, we choose the right path." Felix said to it.

The statue didn't speak, but the entire room flashed brightly, and when the light dimmed enough so everyone could see again, one of the two paths of circles on the floor was lit up.

"So that's it... Something has opened somewhere, which will enable us to get to the Lighthouse. But where?" Kraden finally asked.

"How should I know old man?" Saturos snarled.

"Calm down, please Saturos." Alex said forcefully. Alex strode confidently forward, looking at the path, "The statue said that this isn't the opening, that the path lies on ancient soil. Tell me Sheba, where do you think it is?" he smiled.

It hit Sheba and she gasped, "The ruins! Where Babi Lighthouse is being built!"

"That's right!" Alex smiled, "It looks like we shall be passing through Laliviero after all."

Sheba shuddered, looking down at the floor. She had hoped that they would be able to avoid her home town, fearing that someone would get hurt.

"Let's go, our perusers grow near, I sense that they're already at the Suhalla gate. I would prefer not to encounter them until we reach Jupiter Lighthouse." Alex said.

"Then let's hurry already!" Menardi exclaimed.

The group rushed off, moving much faster, now that they knew the way out of the Lighthouse. Felix looked unusually quiet, frowning more so than usual.

"Menardi... please... may I tell her now?" Felix asked Menardi.

"You have asked almost every day since we brought her. I am tired of the same question! Tell her already! I do not care as long as Saturos and Alex hold no objections." Menardi snapped.

"Just do it already!" Saturos growled.

"It may be useful if you tell her." Alex said after a pause.

"Thank you. I've been waiting a long time to hear you three say yes." Felix sighed with relief.

Felix fell back, taking Jenna's arm. Kraden and Sheba listened in on them, both slightly embarrassed by eavesdropping on the siblings. Felix and Jenna followed the rest at a distance, so Kraden and Sheba could barely hear.

"Jenna... I have something I need to tell you..." Felix said.

"What is it, Felix? You know you can tell me anything." Jenna told him gently.

"Well... Saturos and Menardi didn't think it would be a good idea for me to tell you, but they've finally consented. Jenna... you remember that night? Three years ago?" Felix asked her.

"I still have nightmares, almost every night." Jenna said sadly.

"Well... that night, when the boulder fell... I didn't die, even everyone thought I had." Felix started.

"Yes, that's why you're here. What are you saying?" she asked him, confused.

"Well... Jenna... that night... Saturos and Menardi found me floating in the river, they rescued me. I... owe them. But... I... wasn't the only one they found..." Felix paused.

"WHAT? What are you saying!? Do you mean that..." Jenna stared at her brother in wordless shock.

"That's right... They found Isaac's father... and our parents. They're alive, Jenna. That's why I've been working with Saturos and Menardi. The people of Prox have promised they will release our parents as soon as all four Beacons are lit." Felix explained to her.

"They're alive!? They're really alive!?" Jenna cried, "You mean, once the Lighthouses are lit, they'll free our parents!? We can be together again? A family again!?"

"Well... I don't know if they'll want me to be a part of the family... but yeah. They'll be freed." Felix told her.

"Oh Felix! That's wonderful!" Jenna grabbed her brother in a tight hug, "Then I promise, that I'll do whatever it takes, to help you light the Beacons! I won't fight with Menardi anymore, and I'll do what I'm told! I promise!"

"Thank you Jenna. Thank you..." Felix hugged his sister tight, the two of them embracing for the first time in three years.

Kraden and Sheba walked together silently. "So that's it..." Kraden finally said, "That's why Felix works with these villains... To save their parents, and Isaac's father..."

"Who is this Isaac?" Sheba asked him.

"He's a kind, quiet boy that lived in Vale with Felix, Jenna, and myself. He, and three others, Garet his childhood friend and a Mars Adept, Ivan a young but powerful Jupiter Adept, and Mia a young Mercury Adept from Imil. They carry the Mars Star, and they pursue Saturos and Menardi, in hopes of stopping them from lighting the Beacons, and to save Jenna and myself." Kraden explained.

"I see... I... I think I may have seen them... Or at least, heard them talking a little outside my door, in Tolbi before Colossus. Isaac is a boy with blond hair, he hardly ever speaks. Garet has spiky red hair, he's the biggest and oldest of the four. He seemed a bit impulsive to me. Ivan's the youngest, he has purple eyebrows, like I do, and blond hair, like me. And Mia has blue hair and a kind personality. Is that them?" Sheba described.

"Yes! That's them! You actually saw them in Tolbi?" Kraden asked excitedly.

"Yes, they were staying in Babi's Manor. They were exploring a bit and came up by the tower where I was being held." Sheba explained.

"I'm so very sorry that Babi's quest for Lemuria drove him to kidnapping you. I want you to understand that Babi isn't really a bad person, a little selfish, perhaps, but not bad." Kraden told her kindly.

"I do understand that. While I was a prisoner, I was treated royally." Sheba nodded.

"Hush back there! We're nearing Laliviero!" Menardi called back over her shoulder.

Sheba started, her thoughts disturbed by fears again. Sheba looked on past Saturos and Menardi, her heart aching as she spotted Laliviero. Sheba's heart thudded as she saw that several soldiers had already assembled at the gates, apparently word of what had happened at the Suhalla Gate had spread. The soldiers were trying to be surreptitious, trying to gather without alarming the townsfolk.

"It looks like we have a welcoming committee." Alex smirked.

"Let's all give a big warm hello!" Menardi laughed nastily.

"Please... don't..." Sheba whispered.

It was too late though, before the soldiers could do a thing, Saturos and Menardi rained flames down on them, indifferent to the pain and destruction they caused.

Sheba screamed at the sight of the soldiers of Laliviero, most of which she'd known all her life, being attacked so fiercely.

"Don't look, dear..." Kraden told her, covering her kindly in her cloak, letting her sob against him.

Felix and Jenna caught up, Jenna stifling a cry at the destruction being brought by the two Fire Adepts. The five followed Saturos and Menardi bleakly. Saturos and Menardi picked up the pace as they moved through Laliviero. Several people, after seeing Sheba, tried to stop them, but all of which were simply blasted out of the way by Saturos or Menardi.

A little boy, who Sheba played with occasionally stood shakily in front of them, stuttering at them to stop, but Saturos simply grabbed him and tossed him out of their way. Sheba was glad that Saturos didn't use his Fire Psynergy on the child.

Sheba gasped when she saw her father start to emerge from their house, coming out to find out what the disturbance was.

"Sh-Sheba!?" he gasped, seeing her.

"No, Daddy! Go inside!" she shrieked.

Her father started to draw his sword, ready to fight for his daughter. Sheba panicked, using her Psynergy to throw her father back into their house. She used her power to hold the door shut, though she knew it wouldn't last long. All she could do was pray that he wouldn't catch up with them.

The group moved on quickly to the ruins, now demanding that Sheba guide them through. Sheba did so, as long as they promised to hurry. They did, sadly blasting some of the workers and guards on their way through. Sheba led them all the way to the door inside, the door that no one could open.

"I don't know how to get through here. I've never been able to." Sheba told them at last.

"Hmm..." Alex red the inscription on the wall, "Look with the eyes of truth? Oh dear, the ancients were incredible at making places into riddles, but their written ones were frankly awful. Reveal." he said calmly.

A small ray of light came out of his hand, the light rather misty. It focused on the inscription, and where a second ago, an inscription lay, now there was a large switch on the wall. Felix moved up and pressed it. The group watched in mute awe as the doors slowly slid open with barely a sound.

Kraden looked down the passageway ahead of them "This is it. The beginning... of the path to Venus Lighthouse!"


	4. Chapter 4

Saturos' group moved swiftly,and determinedly,charging into Ancient Ruins with a will. It didn't take them long to get entirely lost. The group wandered,in a sort of daze through the Lighthouse,and Saturos and Menardi's tempers were beginning to fray.

"This is a fine mess you've gotten us into Saturos!" Menardi snapped quietly,"We have no idea where we are and Isaac and his group are approaching fast."

"I do NOT want to ask help from Alex again! That cocky smile of his when he gives us directions drives me insane!" Saturos whispered fiercely back.

"Why,Saturos,Menardi! Would you happen to be talking about Moi?" Alex asked,walking around the corner in front of them.

"Ahhh!" Menardi jumped in shock,"A-Alex!? What are you doing there!"

"Why,going through the Lighthouse. I've completed the puzzles,all the way to the Aerie. We should be able to move on quite easily now." Alex smirked.

"We were perfectly able to solve the puzzles ourself,Alex!" Menardi barked at him.

Alex raised an eyebrow,looking at the exhausted,disheveled group,all of which carried a faint look of hopelessness,"Oh yes,I can REALLY tell."

Menardi stepped forward angrily,ready to shout at him,or attack him,but Saturos grabbed her arm,holding her back. She turned sharply to face him,her face red with anger.

"Saturos! It's about time I put this slimly little worm in his place!" she snarled.

"No! Menardi,we still need him. His uncanny knowledge of the Lighthouses is essential! Not to mention he is an incredibly powerful Water Adept. While I don't doubt your strength,you would have the disadvantage against him." Saturos advised her sharply.

"Saturos knows what he's talking about. If you truly must have a duel of some sort with Alex,can you at least wait until AFTER we've lit the Lighthouses?" Felix asked,slightly sarcastically.

"Grr... fine. All the more reason to light the four..." Menardi sighed.

Alex smirked,"Come on,we're wasting time." and walked off,his stance being that of a cat who's just seen a bird so fat it can't fly.

Saturos watched him go with a distasteful grimace,then whispered to Menardi,"Remind me to help you after we light the Lighthouses."

After the strange exchange the group followed Alex,who was getting more impatient by the moment. At last,after traversing what felt like miles of ruins,Alex finally stopped in one room,"This is as far as I went. I must say,this puzzle stumped me."

Jenna,Kraden,and Sheba peered inquisitorially around Saturos and Menardi,looking into the room. The room was different from the others they had been in. Here,the normal cold stone and dustiness of the ruins met warm green stone at the far eastern side. In the center of the room were five holes,in the shape of four statues in the room. The statues looked like many others they had seen,when they had entered the exit of the Lighthouse,all women with long dresses and turbans,but with one major difference. The others had been made of marble,or some similar stone,made to last the ages. These were made with crystal of five different colors. One was green,one was orange,one was purple,one was blue,and one was red.

"How unusual!" Kraden exclaimed,looking curiously at the statues.

"How annoying. I pushed these stupid statues all over the place and could not figure out which of these holes they went in. Fortunately,they're easy to slide back out." Alex said,mildly annoyed with Kraden's child-like excitement.

"They're very pretty. Whoever they were modeled after was a very beautiful woman." Felix said to himself,aloud.

"Yes,though I know not who she was,she was a very noble-looking woman." Saturos conceded.

"The question here,is how do we solve the puzzle? What is the secret of these statues? There are all too many combinations,it could take us hours!" Menardi pointed out.

"Hmm..." Sheba stroked her hand over the side of one of the statues.

'I go to the east of red.' a voice said into her head.

Sheba screeched and lept away from the statue,"Th-The statue! It speaks!" she shrieked.

"What did it say!?" Alex inquired eagerly.

"I-It said,'I go to the east of red.'" Sheba told him,confused.

"How interesting... Sheba,go to the red one." Alex ordered.

Sheba reluctantly touched it.

'I go to the north of purple.' it told her.

Sheba shivered,"This goes beyond creepy." she said after telling them what it had told her.

"Yes,but it's given us what we need to know." Saturos told her.

Saturos pushed the red statue into the upper right left corner of the holes. Alex pushed the blue statue to the right of it,and Felix pushed the purple one below it.

"Of course... the red statue is Mars Lighthouse,the blue is Mercury,the purple is Jupiter,and the green is Venus. The orange statue is Sol Sanctum. The statues correspond with the geographical locations of the Lighthouses and Sol Sanctum." Kraden said,cleaning his glasses on the edge of Jenna's cloak.

"So,then Venus goes here..." Menardi muttered,pushing the green one into the lower right corner.

"And Sol Sanctum is the center." Felix said,using his Move Psynergy to push the orange statue into the center.

There was a brilliant flash of light from the five statues and a loud whispering sound began,filling the room with hushed voices. There was a slight gust of wind,and then the door with the tree that was the emblem of Venus Lighthouse opened,vanishing into the wall.

((Note from Author: I'm afraid I don't remember the exact position of the statues in the game,or what they say when Ivan uses Mind Read on them. I hope no one hurts me for that TT))

"Incredible..." Alex said,"It seems that to get through to the Lighthouse of Earth,you need an Adept of Wind... opposing elements..."

"The ancients that sealed Alchemy were the ones that put the traps in the Lighthouses. They made it so the Lighthouses WOULDN'T be lit. I'm sure what they expected the least was a Wind adept to attempt to to light the Earth Beacon. I'm sure you need Earth Psynergy to get through Jupiter Lighthouse at some point,and I'm sure you'll need Water Psynergy to get through Mars. If I remember my history lessons correctly,there was a very great deal of enmity between the Tribes at the time of Alchemy's sealing. I'm sure the ancients did not expect it to fade so greatly over the centuries. Now,very few remember it,as very few remember Alchemy even existed." despite their need for haste,and their disagreements with Kraden,even Saturos,Menardi,and Alex listened attentively to his words,the group hanging onto his every syllable.

"Hmm... that does make sense." Menardi nodded after a moment's pause.

"Yes. I'm sure he's right." Alex agreed.

"We must get moving again,I sense our pursuers have entered the Ruins." Saturos told them.

"Then let us be going. As a scholar of Alchemy,I must say that being one of the first people in Venus Lighthouse in centuries will be most exciting." Kraden said.

"If I didn't know any better I almost would thing you aren't just exploding with curiosity to see the inside of the Lighthouse." Jenna teased him.

"I warn you,you two and Felix are not coming to the Aerie with us. The larger our group,the slower we'll be. Simply keep out of our way,and keep from contact with Isaac and his group. Unless you wish to fight him Jenna?" Alex raised an eyebrow,"Remember that now you are a part of this quest to light the Beacons,for your family's sake. Thus: you are seeking to do the very thing that Isaac is sworn to prevent."

Jenna sighed,"Alright alright. We'll head strait for Idejima. That's where your boat is,isn't in?"

"That's right. Once we've joined you after lighting the Beacon,we can set sail for Contigo,and the Jupiter Lighthouse." Saturos told them.

Sheba's eyes looked momentarily misty,"You're going to Jupiter Lighthouse..."

"Of course." Alex said,mildly astonished,"We ARE going to light all four."

"Of... of course. Shall I go to Idejima with Jenna and Kraden?" Sheba asked.

"Absolutely not. You,my dear,aren't bound to this quest as they are. We can't have you fleeing us. Once we get Venus lit,we may free you,and we might keep you. We'll have to think it over. You're coming to the Aerie with us." Saturos told her.

"... Yes Saturos." Sheba said with a sigh.

The group advanced through the final room of the ruins,marveling at how the stone from the ruins blended with that of the Lighthouse. The group marveled as they entered Venus Lighthouse. The walls and floor were oddly warm. Menardi said it had to do with a relationship between Venus and Mars,Earth and Fire.

Alex warped off. The two Fire Adepts agreed that it would be best if he completed the puzzles throughout the Lighthouse so they could move with all due speed. Alex could complete them faster than any of them,and speed was of the essence. It did not take Alex long to return.

"The Lighthouse was simple,easily mastered. Come along,we don't have much time,if we wish to avoid the confrontation we all know must happen at Jupiter." Alex told them.

Sheba looked frightened.

"What's the matter Sheba?" Jenna whispered.

"I... I'm afraid of Saturos and Menardi... without Felix with me... I don't know what I'll do if they won't let me go..." Sheba said.

"Don't worry." Felix said from behind her,surprising her,"I promise,that no matter what it takes,I'll get you back to Laliviero somehow,if I can."

"Thank you... Felix..." Sheba said.

"Let's go! We're wasting time!" Menardi growled,pulling Sheba along after them.

Menardi and Saturos broke into a trot,rushing through the Lighthouse as quickly as they could. Any monster that dared to get in their way was swiftly and mercilessly destroyed,with them barely pausing for a breath. Alex awaited them in one of the rooms,deep into the Lighthouse.

"Alex!? What are you doing here!? Move on! We don't have all day!" Menardi snapped.

"There's no where else to go. Once you jump down here," he pointed at a hole and a slide in the ground,"You will land on a platform large enough for about six people. It will carry you to Aerie. I'm going back down,to keep an eye on Jenna,Kraden,and Felix. I don't want them getting any second thoughts."

"Good plan. Are you warping or walking?" Menardi asked.

"Warping of course,or can you not sense the four in the Lighthouse? I have no desire to encounter them on their way up,and my way down." Alex told her calmly. "Ta ta." he waved cockily and vanished from the room.

"Here Sheba,since we trust you SOOOO much,you may hold onto the Jupiter Star for us." Menardi said,thrusting it into the girl's arms.

"I don't want to have to deal with the thing while lighting the Beacon. It may react rather violently when the beacon is lit. Not enough to harm,but enough to cause discomfort. I want to be focused when I see the beacon rise." Menardi explained to Saturos when he gave her a doubtful look.

"Let's go." Saturos said.

He carefully held onto Sheba as he jumped down the ramp,making sure the girl wouldn't fall off and down the Lighthouse. Menardi was right behind them,her hands holding her dress down to maintain her dignity. The three landed,rather painfully on a platform,floating in a chasm that was far too large for anyone to jump,even one propelled by Psynergy.

Saturos dragged Sheba upright and Menardi stood,trying to keep her balance as the platform began to slowly move upward. The platform moved up,past the room where they'd slid down the ramp,and then through the roof of that room. The platform carried them all the way up,through many floors of solid stone,the long dark of the tunnel finally giving way to sunlight as they neared the top.

The platform emerged into the light,the trio instantly shielding their eyes from the bright light of the sun,their eyes having been accustomed to the dark of the tunnel. The moment they got off,the platform went back to the room in the Lighthouse they had come from.

"We... we did it,Saturos! The Venus Aerie! Soon,the Beacon's light shall radiate across the land!" Menardi cried triumphantly.

"Yes... we made it. At last!" Saturos smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

The three crossed the three floating platforms,approaching the Beacon Well cautiously. Saturos and Menardi stood in front of it,gazing into it's depths. Sheba stood to the side,not wanting to be any closer to the beacon than necessary.((From this point on,most quotes will be directly from the game,with only minor alterations in some spots. Speaking taking place during battles is written by me.))

"At last, the time has come to light Venus Lighthouse's Beacon." Menardi proclaimed,unaware of the sound of the platform rising up from below yet again twice more.

"With the second Beacon lit,only two will remain." Saturos said,in minor awe.

Menardi shook her head,"No. Lighting Jupiter is virtually the same as lighting Mars."

Saturos nodded,"... That is true. Jupiter is really all that remains."

"That's right. Your dreams are within your grasp now." an unknown voice said from below them.

Felix walked up the stairs to them,where he had been watching them. He stood before them calmly,flicking his pony-tail back over his shoulder so it wouldn't be in his way.

"Why are you still here,Felix?" Saturos asked,surprised at Felix's sudden appearance.

Menardi glared,"I thought I ordered you on ahead to the ship!"

"I've already sent Jenna and the others to the dock at Idejima." Felix told them.

"Then,why did you come back?" Saturos asked.

"Because I have a different promise to keep." Felix said,almost fiercely.

"A promise you say?" Menardi pondered for a moment,before breaking into a slight wicked smile,"You must mean Sheba..."

"Yes,Sheba. Why haven't you released her yet?" Felix asked angrily. "You promised to free her once you got into Venus Lighthouse!"

Menardi smiled a coy smile,"And that's what brought you back here?"

"You promised not to involve anyone who wasn't related to this matter!" Felix demanded.

Saturos looked at Sheba for a moment,"Sheba is special."

Felix nodded understandingly,"Of course... Because Sheba is a Wind Adept?"

Saturos and Menardi paused,surprised at Felix's knowing that Sheba was a Wind Adept.

"You guys learned something from the first two Lighthouses." Felix told them.

"And what would that be?" Menardi asked,though she knew the answer.

"In order to enter each Lighthouse,you need an Adept of that clan." Felix explained. "Right now, we have Fire,Earth,and Water Adepts,but no Wind Adept."

Saturos nodded,"That does... seem to be the case."

"Do we need Sheba to get into the Jupiter Lighthouse?" Felix asked them,hoping against hope they had someone else in mind.

"I'm sorry,Felix,but we cannot even enter without a Wind Adept." Menardi shook her head,she almost regretted it herself.

Felix sighed,"That being the case,I guess I understand why you can't set Sheba free."

Saturos smiled,"It seems that you,too,have learned something. If that is all,then you should go Felix!"

"No... I cannot leave Sheba behind!" Felix said firmly.

Saturos and Menardi shared a confused look as Felix moved between them and Sheba,"I'm taking Sheba to the ship!" Felix declared.

"What are you talking about,Felix?" Menardi snarled.

"We don't know what will happen when you light this Beacon. I won't leave Sheba here to find out!" Felix told them bravely,seeing that Sheba was holding the Jupiter Star.

"We told you we'd protect Sheba. Don't you trust us?" Saturos demanded.

Felix was slightly taken aback,"That's... not what I'm saying... It's just best to be safe."

"Don't tell us what's best,Felix! You're not taking Sheba!" Menardi said,angry at Felix's superior behavior.

"Why not?" Felix asked,"What? Don't you trust me?"

Saturos shook his head,making Felix's anger soar into rage,"How can we? After you just demanded we free Sheba?"

"If we had trusted you a moment ago,Sheba would be free now." Menardi growled at him.

Felix growled deep in his throat,his temper finally breaking. He turned to face Sheba and announced,"Come with me,Sheba! I shall protect you!"

Sheba gaped in shock at Felix's brash actions. It struck her that Felix truly was one to keep his promises.

"Are you ready to do this,even though it means fighting us?" Saturos asked,surprised at Felix's bravery.

Menardi looked at Felix's face,seeing the conviction in his eyes she exclaimed,"... I believe he is! He would not have defied us if he lacked the will to fight."

"If it means protecting Sheba from harm,then I must!" Felix said,putting his hand on his sword hilt.

"You've seen what we can do. You know you can't stop us." Saturos told him,anger flaring in his eyes.

"How can you protect Sheba,when you can't even protect yourself?" Menardi smirked,beginning to draw her scythe.

"This rebellious attitude is exactly why we've never let you fight!" Saturos told him.

"Haven't you been given enough reason to fear us in these travels?" Menardi asked Felix.

"You're no fighter,Felix. How can you hope to stand against us?" Saturos asked,easing his sword in it's scabbard.

Menardi drew her scythe in one swift motion,"You've questioned us for the last time! Let's see what you can do!" Menardi snarled.

Suddenly,a blond-haired boy and three others came running up the stairs. They had watched the entire exchange. They were the group that took the lift after Felix had.

"Isaac..." Felix said,amazed to see his childhood friend there of all places.

"So! You've come to stop us?" asked Saturos,he and Menardi whirling to face them.

"Look what your defiance has brought us,Felix!" Menardi snapped,knowing that if all had gone according to plan,they would already be out of the Lighthouse.

Felix ignored her,growling at Isaac and his group,"I don't need you or anyone to rescue me,Isaac! I was just about to settle things with Saturos and Menardi. You can watch! And then,we'll show you the true power of this Beacon's light!" he turned back to Saturos and Menardi,"But... Sheba has nothing to do with this! So set Sheba free!"

"Silence!" Saturos roared,"You'd best tread lightly,Felix,or both you AND Sheba will suffer!"

The blue-haired girl,Mia gave a start,"If anything happens to Sheba,we will have failed Faren..."

The smaller blond boy with the purple eyebrows glared,"We won't permit you to lay a hand on Sheba OR Felix!"

"Oh ho! So you're worried about Sheba too?" Menardi smiled nastily.

Saturos' eyes sparkled as he turned back to face them,"Don't worry. We won't hurt Sheba... if you meet our conditions."

"What are you doing,Saturos!?" Menardi asked,her eyes filled with confusion.

"Leave this to me!" Saturos told her. He turned to face Sheba,"Sheba! Do you remember the rod connected to Hesperia we mentioned?"

"The Rod of Hesperia?" Sheba asked,unable to remember exactly what it was.

"The rod required to reach the Jupiter Lighthouse!" Saturos boomed.

Sheba recoiled as if struck,"Ye-Yes..."

"Those who pursue us bear a rod... Is it the one?" Saturos asked her,clearly indicating for her to read the minds of the others.

Sheba started to walk over to them,hoping to grab this chance to get behind them and escape.

"Sheba! Stay where you are! You can do it from there!" Menardi snapped,clearly thinking along the same lines.

Sheba gave a start and ran back beside Felix. She closed her eyes and used her Mind Read ability,the aura of Psynergy lighting about her. Isaac and the others desperately tried to shield their minds,the only one truly successful being Ivan. Sheba focused on Garet,since his mind was the least protected.

After a couple moment's wait Saturos finally asked,"How about it,Sheba?"

Sheba was silent still.

"Well,Sheba?" Menardi asked.

Sheba finished with her Mind Read. Her eyes were distant and unsure when she finally muttered,"...Perhaps..."

"'Perhaps...' Perhaps what!?" Saturos yelled.

"Don't yell at her!" Felix shouted as Sheba lept behind him in fear.

"We're not yelling!" Menardi shouted. She took a deep breath to calm herself and continued in a much softer tone, "We just want a straight answer."

Sheba nodded,overcoming her fear of Menardi for the moment,as Menardi's voice had been almost kind. She stepped back out from behind Felix.

"So,Sheba?" Menardi asked,still using her kind voice.

"Their minds are veiled. I cannot see clearly... but... I think... it's the one." she said after thinking for a moment.

Menardi gave Saturos a questioning look,but he shook his head,"It's a waste to make her try again."

"So,what do we do?" Menardi asked.

Saturos thought for a moment then turned back to the other group,"Do you know the terms we will require before we agree not to harm Sheba."

Isaac nodded,it was clear to all of them what the two Fire Adepts wanted.

Saturos smiled,"If you give us the Shaman's Rod,Sheba will not be harmed. Agreed?"

Ivan nodded,"The Shaman's Rod? If it means saving Sheba,I will give it to you."

"What? But Hammet gave that to you,Ivan!" Garet started in surprise.

"Don't you care what happens to Sheba?" Menardi smirked.

Garet growled angrily and shook his head in disgust,knowing that the two had won the verbal debate.

"Then you will give us," Saturos' breath caught and his voice positively boomed,"THE ROD!"

Isaac nodded and took it from Ivan.

"Well done,Saturos! We finally have the Shaman's Rod!" Menardi grinned.

Saturos nodded then smiled,"Go get it,Felix!"

"What? Why me?" Felix asked,surprised.

"To ensure your loyalty to us!" Saturos said angrily.

Felix glared angrily,as if going to refuse.

"Go on,Felix!" Menardi ordered,her hand back on her scythe.

Felix sighed and nodded. Isaac handed over the Shaman's Rod,looking at Felix with eyes filled with betrayal.

"What should I do with the rod?" Felix asked them after returning to Sheba's side.

"Keep it safe!" Saturos nodded.

Felix nodded to Sheba,and she started to walk over to Isaac and the others,prepared to go with them now that the deal had secured her release.

Menardi grabbed her arm,"Where do you think you're going,Sheba?"

Mia practically steamed with indignation,"We gave you the rod. Now,release Sheba!"

Saturos smirked,"Whatever do you mean?"

"You said you'd free Sheba if we gave you the rod!" Ivan yelled at him.

Menardi frowned,she wouldn't break a deal made so evenly,"Those... were your terms." she told Saturos.

"We gave you the rod,so release Sheba!" Mia demanded.

Saturos smiled coyly,he hadn't looked so pleased for days,"You seem to have misunderstood... I said we wouldn't harm Sheba... but I never said we'd let her go!"

Felix was just as stunned as the other four,he'd been hoping for Sheba's release,even if it would make lighting the Beacons that much more difficult.

"You're altering the bargain!?" Garet shouted angrily.

Menardi was doubled up with laughter,after calming herself she smiled at them,"Haha! We can't help it if you misinterpreted Saturos' terms!"

"Besides..." Saturos said,his eyes narrowing,"If we were to release Sheba,she'd be in quite a fix." he shared a look with Menardi.

"What do you mean?" Mia asked suspiciously.

Menardi smiled evilly,"Sheba can't get back to Laliviero alone."

Ivan frowned in consternation,"What do you mean? We're going to take Sheba..." realization dawned on his face,"Oh no..."

"That's right!" Saturos shouted,"You won't be going back!"

"Excuse me!?" Mia growled,readying her Crystal Rod.

"Enough! You're the ones who aren't going anywhere!" Garet snarled,drawing his Demon Axe.

"Bring it on,whelp!" Saturos snarled,drawing his sword and Menardi drew her scythe,Ivan his Kikuichimonji((A very powerful short-sword for those of you who don't know.)) ,and Isaac his Gaia Blade. "You won't live long enough to regret your stupidity!"

"Prepare to experience first-hand the horror of a master Fire Adept!" Menardi boomed,enraging Garet even more by her insinuation he wasn't a master Fire Adept.

Felix and Sheba rushed out of the way and the two groups lunged at eachother. As soon as they were far enough as to be safe,Sheba turned quickly to watch the battle. She could see the glow of three Earth Djinn and four Water around Ivan,three Fire and four Wind around Mia,four Fire and three Wind around Isaac,and four Earth and three Water around Garet.

She watched both Ivan and Mia repeatedly cast Freeze Prism,a very powerful ice(Water) spell,on Saturos and Menardi,Isaac use his Quick Strike,and Garet blast away with his Planet Diver. The attacks were very good against Saturos and Menardi,except for Garet's Planet Diver. Garet was a Fire Adept too,and the spell was a Fire spell,so Saturos and Menardi had a resistance to it. But Garet also had a resistance against their Fire spells,thus evening out the field between them.

Sheba though that the first group had the upper hand,until Saturos and Menardi attacked. Menardi's Death Seize instantly knocked out Mia,though Ivan was quick to use Revive that put both of them out of the picture for a goodly amount of time. Saturos used his powerful Heat Flash,smashing his sword into Garet's head,dazing him slightly. The two wove a deadly veil of Fire moves,along with Menardi's weak power to heal and Saturos' power to nullify any spell used to boost their opponent's strength or defences. Saturos' Pyroclasm was one of the most deadly spells cast,it's power blasting all four with intense flames from below. The four staggered after his attack,but Mia was swift with her Wish Well,healing all the damage that Saturos' attack had done.

Saturos lunged at Mia,hoping to take her off guard,as the weakest fighter of the group. But Ivan moved in front of her,since she was momentarily unable to do anything as she cast her healing spell. Ivan blasted Saturos back,almost to the edge of the Lighthouse with a powerful Spark Plasm. While Saturos was away from Menardi's side,Isaac and Garet attacked together with their Quick Strike and Planet Diver attacks,but Saturos jumped up,shouting,"GUARD!" his spell weakened their attack,by raising Menardi's defence.

Isaac thrust his sword into the air,the blade letting out a howl of power. "TITAN BLADE!" Isaac roared. A huge ethereal sword shot out of the Gaia Blade,smashing into Saturos with an incredible tremor. Before he could retaliate,Garet lunged forward,striking him with all his might with the Demon Axe. Ivan and Mia took up their chance and charged Menardi. Though she could easily dodge or block one of their attacks,the two being very weak when it came to physical fighting,she could not avoid them both together. She blocked Mia's staff with her scythe,the two weapons grinding together with a terrible screech,but Ivan lunged in,slashing a large gash in her armor with his short-sword. Menardi cried out in pain,the armor not saving her from terrible pain,but threw Mia and Ivan back. She threw her hands out before her and roared,"FIERY BLAST!" A blast of fire shot out of her hands,exploding in the air,severely burning Mia,Ivan,and Isaac. Garet jumped out of the way,just in time to avoid the searing flames. Before the four could do a thing,though,Saturos lunged forward and cast his Pyroclasm spell! The spell hit all four again,none of them able to dodge it while reeling from Menardi's Fiery Blast. The four scrambled to their feet,Mia surprising the two Fire Adepts by shouting,"Pure Wish!" her power fully healing every bit of damage taken by the group. Menardi's simple Wish power was dwarfed by the powerful aura of healing the surrounded the four.

Sheba watched in awe as the four matched Saturos and Menardi blow-for-blow. Suddenly Garet lunged into the air,roaring at the top of his lungs,"RAAAAAAHHH!!! PLANET DIVER!!!!!!" Garet smashed down on Saturos with all his might.

"Saturos! NO!" Menardi screamed.

But it was too late,Saturos crumpled under Garet's blast,collapsing at last. Menardi turned in shock,ready to take out the group to avenge Saturos' painful defeat,but they weren't there!

"What!?" she gasped.

"Over here!" three voices chorused.

As one,from behind her,the three attacked. Ivan slashed her with his Asura,calling upon an ancient elven spirit. Mia smashed her with all the might she could pack behind her Crystal Rod,and Isaac used the power of Flint,their first ever Djinni. The spirit linked with his sword,bringing it down on Menardi,who had already turned to attack,smashing through her scythe,shattering into a thousand pieces,and finally upon her. She let out a shriek and crashed to the ground.

"We did it!" Garet exclaimed after a moment of quiet,"We beat 'em!"

Mia smiled gently at Sheba,who was standing behind Felix,"Alright,Sheba... Let's get you home!"

Felix shook his head and held on to Sheba's arm.

"What are you doing,Felix?" Ivan asked in shock.

Felix shook his head sadly,the grim realization of what he must do coming to him,"I cannot give up Sheba..."

"What!?" Garet shouted,"But we just saved you!"

"I never asked you to help us..." Felix said sadly.

"Felix... You're not one of them. You're free to go now." Mia told him. "So why? Why are you doing this?"

"The four Beacons must still be lit." Felix said after a pause.

"What!? You're still going to light the Beacons!? That's ridiculous!" Ivan exclaimed.

"I... felt you'd say that. But I'm going to do it anyway." he said.

"So wait... If he means to light the beacons,then he's our enemy,right?" Garet asked Isaac.

"I... really don't know..." Isaac said sadly.

"Do what you will,Isaac. But if you try to sto me,I'll fight you." Felix said softly.

"I... hope... you don't think... you've finished us off." Saturos groaned.

The entire group turned in shock to the two Adepts,lying a distance from the Beacon Well. They watched in stunned silence and Saturos,then Menardi,slowly got to their feet. They both staggered,and Saturos had to lean on his sword,and Menardi on Saturos,to keep from falling back down.

Mia shook her head,"You may not be finished,but you can barely stand."

"Right now... Yes..." Menardi said weakly,struggling for breath. "But we'll be back on our feet... as soon as we do... THIS!!!!"

Before anyone could move Saturos lunged up,throwing the Venus Star with all his might. It bounced around,teetering on the edge of the Beacon Well... then fell in!

"NO!!!" Ivan shouted,"He threw the Star into the Lighthouse!"

"How could this happen!? We couldn't keep them from lighting the Beacon!" Mia cried.

Saturos smiled weakly,"That's not all..." the others turned to him in shock,"The energy of the beacon will restore our power."

"How can it restore their power? Venus is Earth,right?" he asked Isaac.

"Yes,so why would Venus give power to Fire Adepts!?" Isaac asked,confused.

A ray of light exploded from the Well erupting into the sky,cutting the two off.

"Fire and Earth share a symbiotic relationship." Menardi told them.((Symbiotic: A form of the word symbiosis. Dictionary Def.: Symbiosis. The living together or cooperative relationship of two dissimilar organisms in a mutually beneficial relationship.))

"This light will restore our Psynergy,and then more!" Saturos laughed.

"We'll fight you as many times as it takes. We won't lose!" Mia declared.

"You may have beaten the two of us... but now you face the true might of the Fire Clan of the North!" Saturos roared.

"Fire Clan of the North?" Garet asked,surprised.

"Bear witness to the true strength of the northern wilds!" Menardi snarled.

"Go,Felix! Take Sheba and Go!" Saturos called.

Felix looked stunned,"I can... go?"

"We may not have the strength to protect Sheba after this." Saturos told him."You must take Sheba to the ship without fail!"

Felix glanced at Sheba,then at the Beacon,then to Isaac's group,and finally back to Saturos and Menardi. He stood there,uncertainly.

"What are you waiting for? Go! Now!" Menardi shouted at him.

"No... I cannot leave you to fight them alone." Felix told them,drawing his sword.

"Are you saying you don't want us to lose to Isaac?" Saturos asked.

Felix nodded.

"Hmm... I wonder if that's true..." Menardi said.

"What was that?" Felix asked angrily.

"Wouldn't you be just a little sad to see your childhood friend perish?" Menardi asked suspiciously.

"What are you saying!?" Felix boomed.

"I'm saying you're here to protect this brat from your past!" Menardi growled.

"Do you think I would really help them!?" Felix shouted.

"Let's just say,I wouldn't put it past you!" Menardi glared.

"And you,Saturos,do you agree?" Felix asked,almost a sad note in his voice.

"I... wouldn't say that. But it would be best for you not to raise our suspicion." Saturos told him,smiling slightly.

"Now who's telling whom what's best? Fine! I'll take Sheba to the dock for you!" Felix snapped.

"Come on,Sheba!" Felix told her. Sheba nodded and followed him,rushing down the stairs.

"Wait,Felix! I won't let you go!" Garet shouted,moving forward to bypass Saturos and Menardi to stop him.

The air started to grow dark,charged with energy,and the beam from the Well grew brighter but more jagged.

"Heh heh... Felix is the least of your worries right now." Saturos laughed,drawing himself up.

The two Adepts threw their arms wide and opened themselves to the raw energy of the Lighthouse. Garet and Isaac moved forward,ready to do the same,but Mia and Ivan grabbed their arms.

"Don't!" Mia shouted.

"It'll overwhelm you!" Ivan shouted at them.

Garet and Isaac nodded,neither of them would try to absorb the power.

Saturos and Menardi flashed,absorbing the light from the Well's light,and began to radiate a light of their own.

"Oh my-- They're glowing!" Mia exclaimed,still holding on to Garet arm.

"It's time you learned what true power is!" Menardi shouted,her voice echoed unnaturally across the Lighthouse.

The intense light grew almost unbearable for the other four,who recoiled back. Light,almost having taken a physical form,spilled out of them,flowing over the Aerie.

"Their Psynergy is overflowing!" Ivan screamed,backing away.

"HYA HA HA! It's too late to run!" Saturos laughed,his voice echoing like Menardi's,somehow,it was powerful enough to be heard,even at the base of the Lighthouse.

Saturos and Menardi were lifted up by the light,becoming light,and their lights joining together.

"They've become one! Everyone! Get back!" Ivan shouted.

The roaring light moved forward,exploding suddenly with energy.

The four shielded their eyes,the light too bright to look at. Then there was a huge roar,and it seemed the very air itself shattered. The four uncovered their eyes,which instantly widened in shock

Standing in front of them was now a massive two-headed dragon,the incredible combination of Saturos and Menardi: Fusion Dragon. It roared angrily,snarling at them,the hate blazing in all four of it's eyes. The dragon was for the most part grey,with a long mane of fur down it's back. It's heads were mostly blue and purple.

"What IS that thing!?" Mia cried.

"I don't know,but whatever it is,it used to be Saturos and Menardi,so it must be powerful!" Ivan told them.

The dragon roared and lunged at Ivan. It's huge size would delude one to believing it would be slow,but it's speed was surprising. It bit air where Ivan had stood mere moments ago. Ivan lept backwards out of the way,shooting out a Spark Plasma attack from his hands while the dragon was put off guard.

Isaac cast his Titan Blade attack,the Gaia Blade held high over his head,Mia used her Freeze Prism to pound the beast with ice. Garet cast Supernova,the massive explosions looking akin to fireworks,but far more powerful.

The dragon roared with pain and drew it's heads back. One of the heads spat out a circle of purple-grey flames,which kept the four from fleeing,and the other head shot out a powerful gout of flame which tore across them.

The dragon roared again and shot up into the air.

"What's it doing?" Garet groaned,standing up painfully.

The dragon let out a powerful roar,and it's snarl almost sounded like words,"OUTER SPACE!"

Fusion Dragon came crashing down from the sky,surrounded in the purple-grey flames,making it's attack far more powerful. Though the four ran out of it's way,the sheer force of it's crash blasted flame over the entire Lighthouse Aerie,the upper part at least.

"I'm not gonna stand for that! I'll show you a real outer space attack! PLANET DIVER!" Garet roared.

Garet rocketed up into the air,far enough into space to be surrounded with flames as he came crashing back down at a tremendous speed,smashing onto the dragon's back. The dragon bucked and kicked like a rodeo bronco,but Garet held on tight by the dragon's mane-like hair.

"Hold on tight!" Isaac shouted. "Quick Strike!"

Isaac darted forward,slashing at the dragon's legs. The dragon tried to kick him,but he ran back and forth with incredible speed,slashing it. Before it could be terribly injured it managed to land a kick,sending Isaac sprawling.

"Ivan! Use Spark Plasma!" Garet shouted.

"If I do,I'll hit you too!" Ivan shouted back.

"Mia can heal me,go on! I'll distract it!" Garet slammed his fist as hard as he could onto it's back and used Stone Spire on the back of it's heads.

"Get ready Mia!" Ivan told her. He rushed up by the dragon. "SPARK PLASMAAAA!" he roared. The lightning crashed into the dragon,electrifying it and Garet.

"Pure Wish!" Mia exclaimed,almost before Ivan's attack was finished.

The healing blue light went up to Garet,healing the damage done to him by Ivan's powerful blow. Mia smiled with relief as Garet smiled to her and went back to his assault on the dragon. Mia's smiles were cut short by the dragon lunging into the air again.

"Lookout!" Isaac shouted. "It's going to use Outer Space again!"

The dragon came smashing back down,blasting the three,all of which huddled behind a shield created by Granite,one of their Earth Djinn.

Garet rolled off of it's back and lay limply on the ground,that being the dragon's main purpose of lunging into the air. It snarled at the unconscious Garet and loomed over him.

"Garet!!" Isaac ran forward,golden light swirling around him,"Summon VENUS!" he shouted.

The ground under the dragon erupted with gold light,blasting it back away from Garet,though not so much harming it as slowing it down. Isaac put his shoulder under Garet's arm and yanked his friend to his feet.

"Ivan! The Revive spell! Quickly!" Isaac called.

"Revive!" Ivan called,kneeling down next to Garet as soon as Isaac set him down.

Soft golden light coursed down his arms and into Garet,undoing the damage done to him by the dragon that knocked him out. Garet slowly opened his eyes,glancing around at the others blearily.

"What... happened?" he asked.

"You got yourself a free ride into space and back." Isaac told him,smiling with relief.

"Ow... remind me not to take up any free offers for a while." Garet groaned.

"Heheh,deal." Isaac told him,helping him back up.

"Look out!" Mia shouted.

The dragon lept forward,orange light,streaked with red,in the shape of fangs appeared around Isaac. The fangs bit down,making Isaac cry out with pain. The dragon roared happily as the light drew back to it,draining Isaac's energy to itself.

The dragon lunged at Mia,smashing into her powerfully,flashing with purple-white energy. It's Sever Blow weakened her greatly,making her drop to her knees.

"Mia! No! Mad Growth!" Garet shouted,running up.

Garet made sharp,thorny vines leap up and wrap around the dragon's legs while he lunged in and grabbed Mia,carrying her quickly to relative safety behind himself,Isaac,and Ivan. Ivan cast a myriad of Spark Plasmas down upon the dragon,casting freely and aggressively now that Garet was off the beast's back.

The three boys darted around it's legs,too busy with keeping it from using an attack that would hurt everything on top of the Lighthouse,including Mia,to bother healing themselves. They were rapidly taking heavy damage from the Dragon bites,kicks,and attacks with it's tail.

The dragon lowered it's heads and the air grew dark around it. Suddenly it opened both it's mouths and shot out an array of red-orange energy,which ripped through the three boys with it's evil power. It's Evil Blessing brought them to their knees. The dragon roared,preparing to unleash it's Dragon Driver yet again,but a high voice from behind them shouted,"ICE MISSILE!"

Mia had called on her most powerful attack,having her elemental spirits remove their power from her,allowing her to call on the Psynergy which she had naturally,without the Djinni's help. Massive spikes of ice formed in the air above it,coming crashing down on the dragon with their incredible weight and sharpness. The dragon let out a terrible roar of pain,and a huge roar,as if of thunder,filled the air. Light exploded across the entire Aerie,and the Adepts were once again forced to cover their eyes.

When the air cleared,before them the beam of light from the Well had once again become a thin,strait ray,and the Fusion Dragon was no more. Saturos and Menardi,back into their original forms stood before them,battered,bruised,and beaten. The pair stood right on the edge of the Beacon Well.

"How... How.. did we lose?" Saturos groaned weakly.

"We are superior in every way,but still we were defeated..." Menardi sighed,closing her eyes.

Saturos slowly keeled over backwards,closing his eyes for the last time as he dropped into the Beacon Well. Menardi teetered over backwards as well.

"Menardi!" Mia shouted,she ran and tried to catch her,but it was too late.

Menardi fell back into the well also,her last sight being of Saturos,falling next to her,before she also closed her eyes forever.

"We... won..." Garet said,stunned by what had happened.

"We beat them... but have we really won?" Ivan asked Isaac.

"I... don't know,Ivan..." Isaac shook his head.

"Then it was all for naught..." Ivan sighed.

"What are you talking about!?" Garet shouted,"We did everything we could! ... Sure,we couldn't keep them from lighting the Venus Lighthouse but... We beat them! They're gone! You saw them fall into the Well. So we don't have to worry about any more beacons being lit!"

Mia sighed,"But Felix is gone,and he's taken Sheba..."

She sighed and turned to look out at the elevator down. Her eyes widened in shock and she pointed wordlessly,unable to speak Isaac and Ivan turned too,eyes widening in shock as hers did.

"What's with you guys? Isaac... What ARE you lookin' at?!?" Garet half-yelled. He turned to see for himself and gasped,"Felix!"

Felix,at the base of the stairs,by the floating platforms to the elevator stepped forward,quiet in his shock,"Did you... beat them? No one knew their power better than I did. If you destroyed them... Then I am no match for you now,Isaac... I must go... Come Sheba."

Sheba nodded to him,standing at his side.

"Wait! Felix!" Mia called.

"Why do you run from us?" Ivan asked.

"The fell into the Lighthouse! It's over!" Garet told him.

"Poor fools... If you think it's over,you are sadly mistaken!" Felix told them,smiling wryly,hiding his true feelings and motives.

"If you plan to light the other Beacons,you will still need..." Mia began.

"The Elemental Star? We have it!" Felix interrupted.

"They're gone Felix,you don't have to light the Beacons anymore!" Ivan told him,desperately trying to reason with him.

Felix nodded sadly,"Yes,I do. If I don't light the Beacons..." he trailed off.

"What will happen!?" Garet snapped.

Felix shook his head,riled by Garet's interruption,"It's no use talking about it... Just wait and see!"

Felix turned to leave with Sheba,but Mia shouted at him,"If you won't release Sheba,we'll have to take her back!"

Felix turned angrily,who knows what would have happened at that moment,if an incredible explosion did not come from the Beacon Well,blowing the Lighthouse into four separate pieces,to allow for the Beacon to rise.

"The Lighthouse...!" Ivan gasped.

"Isaac! They're too fare away! We can't reach Felix!" Garet shouted over the rumble of the Lighthouse.

"That's not all!" Mia looked over the edge,into the Well. "There's a light coming from down below!"

A massive orb of green light roared up from the hole,lifting all four into the air as it rose up,then unleashed an explosion. The Lighthouse was lit!

When the light cleared,all four were laying on the ground,not unconscious but severely unable to stand.

"NOOOO! SHEBA!" Felix's despairing cry sounded.

The four could just see Sheba,clinging to the edge of the Lighthouse,Felix bending down,trying to reach her with all his might.

"Hold on,Sheba! Take my hand!" Felix cried,close to tears.

"I... can't..." Sheba told him,winded,trying to grasp his hand.

"You must try! If you don't,you'll fall!" Felix begged her.

"Look down... The foundations of the Lighthouse are crumbling!" Sheba said wistfully.

Below them,the shaking ground was revealing the ancient Ruins,all of which were crumbling away to dust,the ground itself splitting and cracking The ground around the Lighthouse,which was entirely surrounded by ground,was starting to fragment.

"Why is this happening? Is it to protect Venus Lighthouse?" Felix wondered in awe.

"I'm slipping... I can't hold on any longer..." Sheba groaned. Her right hand slipped off the ledge,hanging helplessly at her side.

"NOO! Don't let go! You can't! You'll..." sobbed Felix.

"Good-bye,Felix... and thank you." Sheba told him.

She gripped as hard as she could,but it was no good. Her hand slipped away from the ledge,plummeting to the ground below. She could only think of how kind Felix had been to her,wishing that this was not her fate,wishing she could go with him on his quest.

"SHEBA!!!!! NOOO! I WON'T LET YOU DIE!!!!!" Felix roared.

Felix lunged over the edge after her,grabbing her hand in the air,pulling himself so he would be under her,to break her fall. There was really no point in it,but it was all he could think to do to save her,even if he knew deep down it wouldn't save either of them.

The two were only dimly aware of the Lighthouse joining back into one solid building again,but some unknown force. Neither of them saw the peninsula of Idejima split away from the mainland,shattering right off the continental shelf,and being pushed out to sea. The water of the ocean roared and frothed,crashing against the shattering ground. Felix closed his eyes,wrapping his arms around Sheba,and waiting for the impact. The two finally found their voices and screamed one long scream,which was abruptly cut off...

Who could have known? Who could have known that Saturos and Menardi would have stolen the Stars? Who could have known that Alex would betray the Mercury Clan and lead them to light Mercury Lighthouse? Who could have known that Isaac and his group would traverse the dangers of Weyard to find them? Who could have known that Saturos and Menardi,two of the greatest fighters of the Mars Clan,could have been defeated by four teens? Who could have known,that Idejima would break away from the continent,with Jenna,Kraden,and Alex on it? Who could have known that Saturos and Menardi would succeed in lighting Venus? Who could have known that Fusion Dragon would be destroyed by Isaac,Ivan,Garet,and Mia? Who could have known that the Jupiter Star would react so violently,pushing Sheba off the edge of the Lighthouse? Who could have known that Felix would jump off the sky-scraper-sized Lighthouse to try to save her?

"Oh,Kraden... How long with this island continue to drift?" Jenna asked sadly,lying on her back on the ex-peninsula Idejima.

"I don't know... I wish you could tell me." Kraden sighed.

"Sheesh! You're not help in times like this!" Jenna snapped.

"Hey,I'm hungry..." Kraden said after a pause.

"How can you even think about food!?" Jenna asked indignantly.

"I wonder what happened to my brother..." Jenna pondered,looking up at the clouds,drifting slowly overhead.

"I'm fairly certain,it looks like they lit the Venus Beacon." Kraden said,pointing out the extremely obvious.

"You don't have to tell me that!" Jenna snapped at him.

"You are so cranky today,Jenna!" Kraden said,sounding much like a young child.

Jenna wiped a tear from her eye. Kraden pretended he didn't see her do it.

"Well... I suppose you must just be worried about Felix." he said gently.

"Isaac and his friends must have been nearby,too..." Jenna sniffed.

"They... probably were..." Kraden said after a pause.

Several more tears escaped Jenna's eyes,"I miss them... Isaac... Felix..."

Alex walked up calmly,abruptly,and with a dangerous twinkle in his eyes,"There's something I wish to show you." he told them.

"Hmm?" Jenna asked,Kraden and herself standing.

"Walk this way." Alex told them,heading over to the beach.

The two exchanged curious glances and followed him,rounding a bend around some trees to the beach. There,before them on the sand lay two figures,unconscious,but breathing.

"Felix! Sheba!" the two chorused,running over to the pair's side.

"They... They're alive!" Kraden gasped.

"They're alive!" Jenna almost cried with relief.

Jenna turned and faced Alex,who remained silent,"What is this? Alex,what happened?"

And who could have known that,at the last moment,the ocean would rise up to the base of the Lighthouse? Who could have known that Sheba,and Felix would survive? Who could have known that Felix would swim the ocean,holding on to Sheba and his own consciousness by a thread? Who could have known...

The end.


End file.
